A widely used new blood thinner that is routinely given to heart patients after angioplasty appears in rare cases to trigger a deadly blood disease. The drug, called Plavix, prevents blood clots and has been taken by more than 3 million people worldwide since its introudction two years ago. For …
Clinical trials on a herb-based contraceptive cream developed recently by the Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI), Lucknow have been completed and the results have been submitted to the Drug Controller General of India for approval. Fruits of Sapindus mukorossi (soapnut) are rich in saponins which have been shown to have …
a plant derivative might be the promising cancer cure that oncologists have been seeking. Researchers from the University of Washington, usa, claim that a derivative of Artemesia annua (wormwood) could help cure cancer. The derivative called artemisinin is used extensively as a remedy in malaria prone regions of Asia and …
to clear the prevailing doubts about the efficacy of herbal drugs, a special centre will be set up at Jadhavpur University in West Bengal. This first-of-its-kind section will examine the validity and authenticity of the herbal drugs produced and marketed by different firms. The Union and state governments have not …
Rare plants and herbs of the Lingshi dungkhag region of Bhutan are indiscriminately being used for preparing traditional medicines by the Thimphu-based Institute of Traditional Medicines Service (ITMS). The rugged alpine terrain of Lingshi dungkhag is blessed with more than 100 different species of rare medicinal plants and herbs. But …
While tiger parts, ivory and sandalwood smuggling continue to attract all the public attention, what India is losing is its medicinal wealth to well-organised smuggling networks run by thousands of Veerappans all across the country. Mum's the word on the trade practices, while forests, whether in the north, south, east …
It is a common sight near every forest area to see loaded trucks making their way through the dark cover of the night. The first thought that crosses one’s mind is that they are weighed down with timber. Wrong. Many times, what is being carried out is the herbal treasure …
In April 1999, a director of a reputed environmental organisation in Dehradun was tipped off about 12 trucks waiting at the check-post in Dehradun. They were carrying in various quantities medicinal plants that did not feature in the list of ntfp allowed to be collected in the region comprising Uttaranchal, …
The Girijan Cooperative Society in Kerala is responsible for managing over 120 non-timber forest produce that includes a sizeable number of medicinal plants. However, present assessments show that the cooperative is plagued by problems similar to the one Uttaranchal faces. A comparison of the prices offered by the cooperative and …
The Indian herbal industry is estimated to have a turnover of Rs 2,300 crore annually. It is also involved in the export of finished products, intermediaries and bulk raw materials. More than 90 per cent of the plant species used by the industry are, however, collected from the wild of …
Considering the shortage of medicinal plants and the need to sustain ism, cultivation and sustainable harvesting of plants from the wild has become absolutely necessary. One way of solving the problem would be to encourage cultivation by small farmers and tribal people and make big manufacturers of herbal products source …
Realising the importance of medicinal plants in the health care system available to the poor people, the department of family welfare of the mohfw started the vanaspati van yojna as part of the reproductive and child health programme in October 1997. In other words, it means converting large areas of …
Three hours from Madurai is Shenbaha Thopu. Rich in forest wealth, the peripheries of the forests are inhabited by 24 families of the Pallyan community who have traditionally been involved in the collection of non-timber forest produce (ntfp). Now something else has become a part and parcel of their lives: …
It is believed that green tea prevents certain types of cancer. But the fermentation process involved in making black tea was thought to destroy the protective compounds. Now researchers from the UK and Italy say that drinking tea can not only stave off heart disease, cataracts and even help women …
there is no end to human wants and an evergreen tree is the latest prey of this. Prunus africana, a tree found only in Africa, may become extinct within 5-10 years. The tree is being cut down by the poachers just for its bark, which provides the best natural cure …
for more than half a century, the National Botanical Research Institute ( nbri ) in Lucknow has been doing pioneering work in the collection, study and conservation of the vast and varied floral diversity of India. With the entry of P Pushpangadan as its director, the institute is at the …
purging nut or physic nut ( Jatropha Curcas) is a native to tropical America. It is also found in many parts of Asia and Africa. In Cape Verde Islands, it is cultivated as an oil-yielding seed crop. In Madagascar, where the plant is grown as a support for the vanilla …
finally, there is some respite for the sheep-raising farmers of San Juan de Jarpa and Yanacancha districts in the upper reaches of the Cunas river in the Peruvian highlands. Distomatosis, a parasitic disease locally known as alicuya, had severely affected the sheep and cattle population, resulting in high mortality rate, …
a recent article, in one of the dailies in Delhi reported that Bihar accounts for 90 per cent of kala-azar cases countrywide and 5.5-crore people are prone to it in 30 of the 56 districts of the state. Now, the Catholic Health Association of India (chai), at Secunderabad in Andhra …
The UK has banned the import and sale of a Chinese herbal medicine after it was linked to kidney failure. Aristolochia, used to treat fluid retention and rheumatic symptoms, was banned until October 27 on the advice of the Independent Committee on Safety of Medicines. The government said Aristolochia had …
