A researcher at the Centre for Plant Medicine Research, Prince Mawutor, has raised concerns that illegal mining activities and toxic chemical pollution are endangering medicinal plants and posing serious risks to public health.
Speaking in Accra, Dr Mawutor explained that the destruction of forest ecosystems and contamination of soil and water bodies are not only reducing the availability of medicinal plants but also compromising their safety and effectiveness.
He noted that many pharmaceutical and herbal products depend on active compounds derived from forest plants, which naturally thrive in undisturbed ecological conditions.
“Our forest reserves are the natural habitat for many of these medicinal plants. Once these ecosystems are disturbed through mining activities, the conditions necessary for their growth are altered, and their availability declines,” he said.
According to him, illegal mining in forest reserves leads to widespread deforestation, disrupting the delicate ecological balance required for plant survival.
He explained that different medicinal plants depend on specific environmental conditions, including shade and sunlight patterns, which are destroyed when forests are cleared.
Dr Mawutor further warned that chemicals used in mining activities—such as mercury, lead, acids, and selenium—contaminate the soil by displacing essential nutrients needed for plant growth.
He said this contamination affects phytochemicals, the active compounds responsible for the healing properties of medicinal plants.
“As a result, plants from mining areas often show signs of stress such as yellowing leaves and poor development, which reduces their quality and effectiveness,” he stated.
He added that polluted water sources worsen the situation, as plants absorb heavy metals that accumulate in their leaves, bark, and roots—the very parts used in medicine production.
“These metals reduce beneficial compounds and introduce harmful substances, making the plants unsafe for human use,” he warned.
Dr Mawutor cautioned that consuming contaminated herbal medicines could lead to serious health complications, including developmental disorders, birth defects, and organ damage affecting the kidneys and liver.
He also noted that continued exposure to polluted plant materials could threaten the long-term sustainability of herbal medicine production in Ghana.
To address the challenge, he said the Centre has introduced strict quality control measures, including laboratory testing to detect heavy metals in plant materials, with contaminated samples rejected.
Dr Mawutor also urged investment in the cultivation of key medicinal plants such as *Khaya senegalensis*, *Morinda lucida*, *Monodora myristica*, and *Clausena* species to ensure a sustainable supply chain.
He called for stronger enforcement of laws against illegal mining in forest reserves, alongside intensified public education on its environmental and health impacts.
He warned that failure to act decisively could lead to the collapse of Ghana’s herbal medicine resource base, alongside broader consequences such as food insecurity, water shortages, and rising healthcare costs.
Dr Mawutor concluded that protecting forest ecosystems is essential not only for environmental sustainability but also for safeguarding the foundation of both traditional and modern medicine.
