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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