Showing posts with label Medicinal. Show all posts
China Seeks to Unlock Secrets of Herbs, Roots
(Reuters)
- Chinese legends have long extolled the benefits of the Tian Shan Xue
Lian, a rare white flower found in snowcapped mountains that is revered
as a panacea, an elixir so powerful it can supposedly bring the dead
back to life.
In
the quest for better and newer drugs, scientists in China are
re-examining traditional Chinese medicines TCM.L -- roots and herbs that
have been used for thousands of years -- to find and reproduce the
active ingredients so they may be made into drugs that can be easily
manufactured and consumed.
But
unlike many Chinese drugmakers who already sell TCMs in powders and
capsules, scientists are going a step further by putting these
experimental medicines through rigorous clinical tests so that they may
find wider acceptance globally.
"This
flower has been used for thousands of years in Xinjiang, Tibet and
India to treat a range of illnesses...For the Chinese, it was used for
'disorderly heartbeat,'" said Li Guirong, a cardiology professor at the
University of Hong Kong.
"I
have worked eight years on this. Our aim is to return an irregular
heart rhythm to normalcy...with a drug that has fewer side effects," he
said.
As
Beijing shifts its growth engine to cleaner hi-tech industries,
committing $1.7 trillion over the next five years to nurture them,
Chinese scientists are enjoying unprecedented government support and
access to funding to design better drugs and diagnostic tools for
chronic illnesses such as heart disease and cancer.
Backed
by government funding, Li and colleagues at the Shanghai Institute of
Materia Medica began studying eight years ago the Tian Shan Xue Lian, or
Herba Saussureae Involucratae, which thrives 3,000 metres above sea
level in the Tibetan highlands.
They
extracted its key ingredient, acacetin, created its synthetic twin and
found success in experiments on dogs with atrial fibrillation.
They
are now refining the compound and hope to begin human trials in three
years with China National Pharmaceutical Group Corp , parent of the
country's largest Hong Kong-listed drug distributor Sinopharm Group Co
Ltd (1099.HK).
"We
received a patent for it (acacetin) and hope to make it into a drug
together with Sinopharm. We hope to market it in China and
internationally eventually," Li said.
While
TCM has been used for thousands of years, it is far less understood and
accepted outside of China. By subjecting TCM-derived compounds to
clinical trials, experts hope to prove their efficacy and sell them into
foreign markets.
FLUSH WITH CASH
Coinciding
with China's push to upgrade its domestic drug sector, Western
drugmakers are muscling into China to maintain margins amid a patent
cliff and fall in earnings in Western markets.
In
the last two months alone, Merck & Co Inc (MRK.N), Pfizer Inc
(PFE.N) and Astrazeneca Plc (AZN.L), have announced ambitious research
plans with Chinese companies to design new drugs for Chinese patients
and also announced plans to expand their distribution grids.
The
reason is simple: China's prescription drug market, set to be the
world's second largest by 2020, is estimated to be worth more than $110
billion by 2015, from $50 billion in 2010, according to various industry
researchers.
While
much attention is paid to what Western drugmakers are doing in China,
insiders say significant resources are quietly being directed to TCM
research and the best TCM drugs will eventually figure among the world's
prescription medicines.
In
the last two years, the government has allotted 6.7 billion yuan to
support biotechnology companies and the search for new drugs.
Apart
from Sinopharm, which aims to compete globally with quality and
well-accepted drugs, other notable TCM producers are Yunnan Baiyao Group
Co Ltd (000538.SZ), which makes an anti-bleeding powder, Zhangzhou
Pientzehuang Pharmaceutical Co Ltd (600436.SS) and Jiangsu Hengruli
Medicine Co Ltd (600276.SS), all keen to put more resources into R&D
over the next five years.
Beijing
Tongrentang Co Ltd (600085.SS) will focus on developing products using
rare raw materials that have strong medicinal qualities, while China
Shineway Pharmaceutical Group Ltd (2877.HK) will give priority to
state-protected and patented Chinese medicines.
This
reverse approach -- working backwards with proven TCMs to find the
active compound -- has been encouraged by China's best-known medical
export, the anti-malaria drug artemisinin.
Artemisinin
is derived from the sweet wormwood shrub, which has been used for
thousands of years to treat malaria. A project by the Chinese army in
the 1960s managed to isolate the active compound and it has since become
the world's best line of defence against the disease.
"We
will see a rebalancing away from what was an exclusive focus on Western
chemical drugs to include more traditional Chinese medicines," said
Jason Mann, pharmaceuticals and healthcare analyst with Barclays Capital
in Hong Kong.
"The
Chinese government is supporting TCM. It is a key heritage; something
to be proud of. Five thousand years of history can't all be wrong. And
it is just pragmatic. These are difficult, expensive diseases. Whatever
approach you can take to keep patients healthy and out of hospital will
be good."
OKRA - The All Around Medicine
Here are some facts on okra (from the research of Ms. Sylvia Zook, PH.D (nutrition), University of Illinois.
Okra
is a powerhouse of valuable nutrients, nearly half of which is soluble
fiber in the form of gums and pectins. Soluble fiber helps to lower
serum cholesterol, reducing the risk of heart disease. The other half is
insoluble fiber which helps to keep the intestinal tract healthy,
decreasing the risk of some forms of cancer, especially colo-rectal
cancer. Nearly 10% of the recommended levels of vitamin B6 and folic
acid is also present in a half cup of cooked okra. Okra is a rich source
of many nutrients, including fiber, vitamin B6 and folic acid. I got
the following numbers from the University of Illinois Extension Okra
Page. Please check there for more details.
Okra Nutrition (half-cup cooked okra))
- Calories = 25
- Dietary Fiber = 2 grams
- Protein = 1.5 grams
- Carbohydrates = 5.8 grams
- Vitamin A = 460 IU
- Vitamin C = 13 mg
- Folic acid = 36.5 micrograms
- Calcium = 50 mg
- Iron = 0.4 mg
- Potassium = 256 mg
- Magnesium = 46 mg
These
numbers should be used as a guideline only, and if you are on a
medically-restricted diet please consult your physician and/or
dietician. Ms Sylvia W. Zook, Ph.D. (nutritionist) has very kindly
provided the following thought-provoking comments on the many benefits
of this versatile vegetable. They are well worth reading.
1.
The superior fiber found in okra helps to stabilize blood sugar as it
curbs the rate at which sugar is absorbed from the intestinal tract.
2.
Okra's mucilage not only binds cholesterol but bile acid carrying
toxins dumped into it by the filtering liver. But it doesn't stop
there...
3.
Many alternative health practitioners believe all disease begins in the
colon. The okra fiber, absorbing water and ensuring bulk in stools,
helps prevent constipation. Fiber in general is helpful for this but
okra is one of the best, along with ground flax seed and psyllium.
Unlike harsh wheat bran, which can irritate or injure the intestinal
tract, okra's mucilage soothes, and okra facilitates elimination more
comfortably by its slippery characteristic many people abhor. In other
words, this incredibly valuable vegetable not only binds excess
cholesterol and toxins (in bile acids) which cause numerous health
problems, if not evacuated, but also assures their easy passage from the
the body. The veggie is completely non-toxic, non-habit forming (except
for the many who greatly enjoy eating it), has no adverse side effects,
is full of nutrients, and is economically within reach of most.
4.
Further contributing to the health of the intestinal tract, okra fiber
(as well as flax and psyllium) has no equal among fibers for feeding the
good bacteria (probiotics).
5.To
retain most of okra's nutrients and self-digesting enzymes, it should
be cooked as little as possible, e.g. with low heat or lightly steamed.
Some eat it raw (Some People had eaten they say).
India Helping Ethiopia Realise Full Potential of Neem
Almost
a century after neem was introduced in this East African nation, India,
where the tree originated, is helping Ethiopia realise its full
potential.
"Ethiopia
has unlimited potential for the plantation of the neem tree which grows
in humid, arid, and hot places. India, which is the birthplace of the
tree, earns $2.5 billion annually from the sale of Azadirachtin (a
chemical extracted from the tree and used to manufacture pesticides)
alone," Neem Foundation of Ethiopia chairman Taye Teferedegn told.
"The
tree has enormous advantages from agriculture to medicine, from
industry to the environment. Its use is really countless. If we work on
it, we will have another item for export on our list," he added.
Towards
this, a presentation was made here by an Indian business and academic
delegation that was invited by the Neem Foundation of Ethiopia as part
of its awareness creation and technology transfer objectives.
During
the visit, Ramesh C. Saxena, chairman of the Mumbai-based Neem
Foundation, delivered a lecture that was attended, among others, by a
representative of EID Parry India Ltd, a huge Indian pest control
company that focuses on the industrial extraction of Azadirachtin. The
company aspires to discover the opportunities in the development and
processing of the neem tree in Ethiopia, an official said.
One kilogram of Azadirachtin currently sells at around $1,200 dollars on the international market.
"The
visit would enable the Foundation and the nation to tap into a very
valuable technology and knowledge transfer opportunity," Teferedegn
pointed out.
The
Neem Foundation of Ethiopia has chalked out a five-year plan to plant
over one million neem trees in at least three regional states of the
country and start the extraction of Azadirachtin and the production of
various neem bi-products. The Foundation, with the support of donors,
had planted over 150,000 neem seedlings in Afra regional state over the
last four years.
The
Neem Foundation of Ethiopia is a non-governmental organisation
established by Ethiopian scientists in 1995 to promote the Neem tree in
this country. Since its establishment, the Foundation has carried out
various activities to expand the plantation of neem trees in the
country.
"It
has medicinal value in addition to economic benefits. It can produce
timber and firewood while at the same time absorbing carbon and helping
with land conservation. It did not receive as much attention as it
should have in order to maximize its benefits. We are currently working
with the Neem Foundation of Ethiopia to make use of its advantages
exhaustively in the future," said Sertse Sibuh, forestry case team
coordinator at Ethiopia`s agriculture ministry.
Ramesh
C. Saxena is renowned for his bio-pest control initiative both in India
and globally. From 1991 to 2000, he was senior principal scientist at
the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE) in
Kenya where he coordinated a $1.79 million neem awareness project in
sub-Saharan Africa funded by the Finnish government and the United
Nations Environment Programme. The project contributed to mitigating
rural poverty through dissemination and diffusion of neem technology for
better plant, animal, human, and environmental health.
Saxena
received a masters in tropical agriculture from the University of
Hawaii and a doctorate in entomology from Delhi University.
IANS
Know the Different Kinds of Ginseng
Posted by Unknown in Ginseng, Health Issues, Herbs, Medicinal on Sunday, 9 September 2012
The Chinese called it the “Essence of Man” or “Elixir of Life”; the American Indians treasured it and millions have sworn that it restores youth, vigor, and sexual powers. This magical plant, or rather, magical root, is none other than ginseng.
Ginseng occupies an important place in oriental herbal medicine. In fact, it was so important that it was considered a "panacea" or cure-all. Even gingseng’s assigned botanical name Panax ginseng, literally means "all healing."
Centuries of Chinese healers have used ginseng to fight wide ranging ills such as general weakness, fatigue, and sexual dysfunction. Some of the earliest recorded uses of the herb are by Emperor Shen Nung, who began his reign in 2800 BC and is considered the patron saint of Chinese herbal medicine.
Ginseng has been touted for its adaptogenic qualities. Adaptogens help normalize body functions during stress and stimulate the responsiveness of the immune system. They also increase strength and vitality. The medicinal effects of ginseng are attributed to saponins called ginsenosides found in the root of the plant. The older the root, the more ginsenosides it has. Roots should be six years old or older for optimal effectiveness.
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| Ginseng Plant |
The only true ginsengs are the plants in the Panax genus within the Araliaceae family. The most common types are::
Asian ginseng. This is a warm stimulating tonic also called Oriental, Chinese or Korean ginseng. This is the kind of ginseng found in Ginsomin, a product of Mega Philippines (Tel. 8378550 ti 51 and 837-2947) that is made from six-year- old dried Korean Panax ginseng roots and contains 16 different ginsenosides, 11 vitamins and 9 essential minerals for optimum effectiveness. The high-quality ginsent extract in Ginsomin promotes both physical and mental health and helps relieve fatigue and stress.
American ginseng. This grows wild in North America and was used by Native Americans to treat indigestion, sore eyes, fever and bronchitis. American ginseng is a cooling, sedating tonic that has a calming effect.
Siberian ginseng. This belongs to the Araliaceae family but is not a true ginseng of the Panax genus. Often sold as a cheaper alternative to the more expensive Panax ginseng but is less effective at increasing vitality and feelings of well being.
