According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Traditional medicine is commonly used in most parts of Africa, Asia, and Latin America because it's generally available and affordable. WHO estimates that about 80 percent of the population in developing countries still depend on traditional medicine for their Primary Healthcare (PHC) needs; however, this percentage may vary from country to country.
In Nigeria, many people believe and rely on local herbs for medication, hence herbal drinks and medicines are patronized daily.
'Agbo-Jedi', the stomach cleanser, is a concoction prepared from a variety of herbs, and; it is one of the most popular herbal preparations taken for various ailments, especially by the native Yoruba people. Agbo can be soaked in water, alcohol, or even palm wine before one drinks it.
However, medical experts raise concerns about the after-effects of taking Agbo, especially over a long period of time. One such concern is that it can damage the kidney and liver; also, there are concerns about its preparation which include the handling, dosage requirement for each ailment, shelf lives, and expiration date.
Most people say the herbs clean their system, but the truth is that the concoction has a bad effect on the kidney. It's a lot cheaper to prevent kidney damage because once you have kidney damage there is no going back; even those who are rich can’t maintain, afford, or keep up with dialysis. They can’t even maintain or afford to have kidney transplantation, not to talk of the masses who are not generally or financially equipped to take care of the disease.