Rare herb could treat melanoma
09 Nov, 2005
Source: Forest Herbs
A traditional Vietnamese medicinal herb may have useful anti-melanoma properties.
A potential treatment for melanoma is being investigated after an international aid project to save rare plants and help remote villagers in Vietnam produced an unexpected result.
The tuber from the Vietnamese herb Stephania brachyandra has been used in Vietnam as a traditional relaxant and sleep aid for many years, and is now being examined for its anti-melanoma properties by the Biological Investigation Group at the Wellington School of Medicine.
“The plant is a very rare tuber that is found at high altitudes in the forest,” Peter Butler from Forest Herbs, the company behind the NZAID project says.
A series of trials is being conducted to confirm initial laboratory results.
“If the Wellington research confirms its early promise we could have major success that will be a life changer for the poorest farmers around Sa Pa.”
Methods to propagate and cultivate the plant to protect the wild stock and provide a viable base for an industry have also been developed through the Medicinal Plants Innovation Project, an international joint venture between Nelson-based Forest Herbs and International Flora and Fauna of the United Kingdom.
