Hidden cure: Scientist urges investment in natural remedies

As the global health community sounds the alarm over the rate at which antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is rising and global health systems strain under the weight of complex diseases, Barbadian ethnobotanist Dr Sonia Peter is calling for a return to the island’s natural roots as a solution. 

She is urging the government and private sector to invest seriously in the development of a local medicinal plant industry rooted in the island’s rich biodiversity and traditional healing knowledge.

“We need to go back into our history,” Dr Peter, director of the Biocultural Education and Research Programme, told Barbados TODAY over the weekend following a kitchening gardening workshop. “There is value in our plants, and there is value in our knowledge. What we lack is the investment and infrastructure to harness it properly.”

Citing a recent World Health Organisation (WHO) report on the integration of traditional medicine into public health systems, Dr Peter argued that Barbados must act now to both preserve and commercialise its botanical wealth before it disappears—along with critical knowledge passed down through generations.

“The WHO estimates that nearly 80 per cent of the global population still relies on traditional healing methods. That tells us this isn’t folklore—it’s fundamental, and we need to standardise it [local remedies] so people know how to use it safely and effectively,” she said.

Dr Peter’s warning comes amid rising global concern over antimicrobial resistance, a phenomenon where bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens evolve to outsmart conventional medications. The consequences are dire, she said, as common infections could become untreatable, surgeries riskier, and public health gains of the past century could be reversed.

“We’ve been treating microorganisms in a very temporary way. We treat them, then forget. We misuse medications. That’s how resistant strains emerge—organisms evolve, get stronger, and our drugs become useless,” she warned.

Her solution? A homegrown response rooted in the Caribbean’s natural pharmacopeia.

Dr Peter explained that the Caribbean is a biodiversity hotspot, home to hundreds of unique plant species that produce molecules not found anywhere else in the world. This, she argues, places Barbados in a prime position to develop locally derived natural therapies that could supplement national healthcare efforts—and reduce dependency on imported drugs.

“These plants are making molecules peculiar to our region. That’s exactly where we should be looking for new treatments,” she said. “We must stop calling everything ‘bush’ and start seeing these resources for what they are—life-saving and economically valuable.

“We do not have the luxury of just doing science because we like it. As a small nation, we must extract value from our scientific investment, and that starts with protecting our intellectual property,” she stressed.

Over the years, Prime Minister Mia Mottley has lamented that there were too many people dying as a result of antimicrobial resistance while addressing audiences locally, regionally and internationally. 

Mottley, who is co-chair of the One Health Quadripartite Global Leaders Group, said she had a moral duty to speak up about the dangers of overreliance on antibiotics, referring to it as a “slow motion silent pandemic”.

Beyond health, Dr Peter sees untapped economic potential in the development of a natural medicine sector in Barbados, pointing to Cuba’s successful model, which fuses traditional medicine with scientific rigour.

“Cuba is an excellent example. They’ve built a robust healthcare system partly on their own medicinal knowledge because they were forced to innovate. We don’t need to wait until we’re backed into a corner,” she said.

She envisions a dual-sector approach—combining research and development with eco-wellness tourism, where visitors can engage in healing retreats, botanical experiences, and herbal product lines unique to the island.

“This could be a niche market in tourism, as well as a driver of economic diversification. The future is in value-added knowledge, and we’re sitting on a green goldmine,” she said.

However, she also acknowledged the cultural fragmentation that has led to the erosion of traditional practices in Barbadian households. 

“The grandmothers who once held this knowledge are now working. Our social structures have changed. But those gaps can be filled through education and outreach,” she explained.

Her programme seeks to reintroduce this lost knowledge into schools and communities, bridging generational divides and reigniting respect for local plants. “We must reconnect with our landscape, our heritage, and our health . . . We are cutting down plants without knowing their value. What if that plant was the cure for cancer?” she asked. “We need more rigorous policies around our botanical resources—and the courage to invest in ourselves.” 

sheriabrathwaite@barbadostoday.bb