PUBLIC HEALTH APPLICATIONS OF MEDICINAL PLANT BIOCHEMISTRY: EVIDENCE FOR PRIMARY PREVENTION, DISEASE MANAGEMENT, AND MITIGATION OF TREATMENT TOXICITY

Public health strategies are evolving from a singular focus on treatment to embrace a holistic continuum encompassing prevention, acute management, and long-term supportive care. This evolution creates a critical demand for safe, accessible, and multifunctional interventions. This narrative review synthesizes evidence from a sustained biochemical research program to map the applications of indigenous Nigerian medicinal plants and functional foods onto this public health continuum. Findings are presented demonstrating their efficacy in: (1) Primary Prevention & Health Promotion, including the use of Carica papaya to combat nutritional anemia and Telfairia occidentalis for chemoprevention; (2) Acute Disease Intervention & Management, highlighting the hepatorenal protection offered by Azanza garckeana against manganese toxicity and the antimicrobial activity of green-synthesized nanoparticles from Senna occidentalis; and (3) Supportive Care & Mitigation of Iatrogenic Harm, evidenced by the capacity of Zingiber officinale and Gongronema latifolium to attenuate chemotherapy-induced toxicities. The review argues that the biochemical properties of these plants particularly their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial mechanisms make them versatile tools for public health. By systematically organizing this evidence according to the stage of health intervention, a practical framework is provided for policymakers, health planners, and practitioners to integrate evidence-based phytomedicines into structured public health programs, from community-wide prevention campaigns to clinical supportive care protocols, ultimately building more resilient and responsive health systems.