''To give an example, the PITAHC Board of
Trustees just approved a research proposal of St. Luke's Medical
Center to screen Philippine plant species for anti-viral
activity against the dengue virus.'
Herbal
medicine
T
he use of plants
as source of biologically active chemicals for various human purposes goes back
to past thousands of years. The ancient Egyptians extracted oils and gums from
plants to use in embalming their dead some four thousand years ago. Hippocrates,
the father of medicine, was already practicing the medicinal use of such plants
as asparagus, garlic and poppy, in ancient Greece some 2,500 years ago. A Greek
doctor, Dioscorides, established the first collection of medicinal plants during
the first century A.D. During the Middle Ages, herbal medicine was mixed with
magic, superstition and empirical observations. But during the Renaissance,
scientists began to apply the methods of science to identify the chemical
substances effective in curing certain illnesses. Notable among the early
scientists dealing with herbal medicine were C.W. Scheele, a Swedish chemist in
the late 1700s, and William Withering, an English doctor and botanist, in the
18th century began scientific studies on medicinal plants. From then on,
research on medicinal plants has been progressing. The Reader's Digest has put
out a book entitled Nature's Medicines, which discusses the properties of many
plants used to treat human illnesses and symptoms all over the world.
The practice of herbal medicine has been documented in
practically all human societies. In the Philippines, the use of plants to cure
human illnesses is common. One reason is that they are available at little or no
cost and therefore affordable by many. Many species of recognized medicinal
plants are cultivated or protected by organizations and individuals. It is not
uncommon to find herbal gardens in school yards and private home gardens.
The government has recognized the use of Philippine plants in
health care. A law was passed by Congress creating the Philippine Institute of
Traditional and Alternative Health Care (PITAHC) under the Department of Health.
One of the programs of this Institute is the promotion of the manufacture of
affordable herbal medicines through the application of the scientific
methodology to ensure safety in human use. An example of an herbal medicine
manufactured by PITAHC processing plants is the "lagundi" cough tablet.
Research is needed to process plant materials into medicines
that are safe for human use. A large investment in developing the capability of
researchers and the build-up of facilities is also needed. The establishment of
the Institute of Herbal Medicine at the University of the Philippines (Manila)
in 2007 is a step in the right direction. But more must be done.
To give an example, the PITAHC Board of Trustees just
approved a research proposal of St. Luke's Medical Center to screen Philippine
plant species for anti-viral activity against the dengue virus. A breakthrough
in this research area would benefit the Filipinos and other Asians. The success
of this proposed research project would depend on the quality of the researchers
and the research facilities. How many virus research laboratories exist in the
country outside of the one at St. Luke's? Silliman Medical Center, Dumaguete
City tried to establish such a laboratory 20 years ago but abandoned the effort
because there was no one to carry on the program after Dr. George W. Beran, the
founder, left the country.
In the meantime, many more medicinal plants remain unstudied scientifically,
medicine costs are increasing, and many Filipinos suffer and even die because
they cannot afford costly medicines.
