RESEARCH

 Research at the College of Integrative Medicine and Herbal Sciences is devoted to the evaluation of natural medicine practices, the exploration, development and evaluation of new treatments for serious chronic diseases, the continued development of faculty research skills, and the training of students in research methods. The rapidly increasing interest in natural health care has precipitated a growing need for basic and clinical research in naturopathic medicine.

Research is at the core of the university’s mission. As a leading academic institution for promoting African natural medicine the College will foster intellectual responsibility by documenting the results of sometimes centuries old traditional practices with rigorous scientific methods and by articulating their theoretical underpinnings. CIMS research facilities will include a computerized data management system with analytical chemistry, molecular biology, and tissue culture capacities, and outpatient clinics for conducting clinical studies.

A number of studies have been lined up to be conducted by research faculty.  These include randomized clinical trials, larger observational studies, and laboratory investigations on a variety of topics including naturopathic treatment of HIV infection, a survey of therapies used by herbalists in the treatment of metabolic diseases including diabetes mellitus and hypertension, management of uterine fibroid tumours, botanical treatment of osteoarthritis and haemorrhoids, botanical treatment of weight loss and diarrhoea in HIV+ patients, in vitro evaluation of botanicals in breast cancer cells, antitumor effect of botanical medicines, and antimicrobial effects of botanical medicines.