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Medicines from Nature - Coggle Diagram
Medicines from Nature
History of medicinal plants:
Hippocrates - first person to record more than 300 medicinal plants and herbs (classes according to their physiological action)
London 1673 - The Society of Apothecaries established the Chelsea Physic garden
Healing qualities of names were so well known that their common names reflected this
Morphine - first naturally derived medicine
Synthesise - production of chemical compounds by reaction from simpler materials
Case study of one medicinal plant: Rosy Periwinkle
General facts:
Madagascan treatment led to its study by western scientists who then discovered its anti cancer properties
Pretty plant from Madagascar
Traditionally used to treat diabetes
Growing conditions:
Well drained soil but moisture retaining + slightly acidic
Warm tropical conditions (frost free)
Two cancer-fighting medicines:
Vincristine - used to treat Hodgkins' Disease
Vinblastine - helped to increase the chance of surviving childhood cancer (10% to 95%)
Global trade value:
Vincristine + vinblastine are worth hundreds of millions of dollars annually to Eli Lilly (US pharmaceutical giant)
Few of these profits are channelled back to Madagascar + its indigenous rainforest people
Links to biopiracy:
Deprives Madagascar (LIDC) of valuable international trade (potential exports + value added)
Hinders economic growth + progress in tackling poverty and inequality
Conservation of medicinal plants:
Most medicinal plants are sourced from wild populations (humans physically go into the wild to find and harvest the plants)
80% of the population in the developing world (nearly 5 billion) rely on traditional medicines
Medicinal plants are under threat - over harvesting (reduces plant population and their genetic diversity) , estimates at least 4000 medicinal plants are threatened, 14 listed as acutely endangered
Protection of rainforests is important - they contain 70% of terrestrial plant species, and yet no more than 1% has been screened for potential medical use (deforestation + the risk of undiscovered plants/medicines becoming extinct
Positive situation been achieved in Samoa - funds provided for economic development and forest protection in Samoa (forest conservation, sustainable supply of valuable medicinal plants, flourishing ecosystems)