Monday, May 01, 2006

Cures For Cancer,AIDS And Malaria Found in Borneo Rainforest

Site Category : Rainforests It is reported in the Sabah local papers that certain trees found in the rainforest on the Borneo island may provide the keys to produce cures for the most deadly human diseases - Cancer, Aids and Malaria. The new WWF report was compiled by associate professor with Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Dr Menno Schilthuizen. He said in his report that an Australian pharmaceutical company has identified a promising anti-cancer substance in a shrub in Sarawak. A compound present in the plant Aglaia leptantha has been found to effectively kill 20 kinds of human cancer cells in laboratory tests, including those that cause brain and breast cancer, and melanoma. Scientists also found a unique chemical in latex produced by the Bintangor tree. The compound, Calanolide A, that appears to be effective against the repication of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), as well as the tuberculosis bacterium, which affects many AIDS patients. The discovery is particularly important as, to date, no single drug has been able to treat both HIV and TB. If clinically proven, Calanolide A, could be a major development for the health of many millions worldwide. The report further said that researchers found a powerful and previously unknown anti-malarial agent in the bark of a local tree, Lansium domesticum, traditionally used by the Kenyah people of Kalimantan to treat malaria. The substance, a triterpenoid - apparently kills the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum in laboratory tests. However,the Chief Executive Director of WWF-Malaysia, Dr Mikaail Kavanagh, fears that these new discoveries will disappear together with the rainforest from the heart of Borneo if they are not protected. He reiterated that he hoped the 3 Borneoan countries namely Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei will sign the " Heart Of Borneo Declaration" which aims to preserve approximately 220,000 sq km of equatorial forests and numerous wildlife species.

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