African Traditional Herbal Research Clinic ... - Blackherbals.com

Continued from page 26 – Case Study- Microbial Productionof Artemisinin to Treat MalariaMeanwhile, WHO notes that “clinical trials have not yetbegun, and filing for regulatory approval will probablynot occur before 2009 to 2010.”Keasling, too, sees late 2009 or early 2010 as the earliestrealistic target for mass distribution.If microbial production of synthetic artemisinin iscommercially successful, pharma giants like Novartiswould benefit because it will allow them to replace adiverse set of small suppliers with one or twoconveniently located production factories. The RoyalTropical Institute notes that, “pharmaceutical companieswill accumulate control and power over the productionprocess; artemisia producers will lose a source of income;and local production, extraction and (possibly)manufacturing of ACT in regions where malaria isprevalent will shift to the main production sites ofWestern pharmaceutical companies.”Could artemisia be a viable crop for small farmers insub-Saharan Africa?Are local production, extraction and even manufacturingof ACTs possible in regions where malaria is prevalent?The Dutch researchers who studied this possibilityconclude that it won’t be easy – requiring not only a heftycapital investment, but also “a total redesign of the supplyand distribution chain.” They suggest a number ofpolicies that could be implemented to promote cultivationof Artemisia annua while at the same time protectingfarmers from un-due risk. For example, a procurementfund could be established in Africa to stabilise the marketfor artemisia; quality seed could be made available toAfrican farmers; other medicinal crops could bepromoted to reduce the economic risk to farmers; a taskforce could be established to enhance transparency,coherent policy making and knowledge sharing.Where ACT drugs are not accessible or affordable,community-based efforts are focusing on local productionof artemisia plants for use in herbal tea to treat malaria.Conventional health systems such as WHO do notsanction the use of Artemisia tea because of the difficultyof establishing a standard dosage and quality control.However, Anamed (Action for Natural Medicine), aChristian-based group of scientists and health workers,believes that the tea is effective in treating upwards of 80percent of malaria cases. Anamed’s ‘grow your own’approach to fighting malaria provides artemisia seeds,community workshops and agronomic support for smallscaleplots based on mixed farming methods across Asiaand Africa.Anamed promotes a method of combining the tea withother compounds (either cheap medicines or locallyadapted herbs) to mimic the combination effect ofpharmaceutical ACTs, but without using proprietarydrugs. Anamed believes that compounds found inArtemisia leaves, including 36 different flavonoids,enhance the anti-malarial properties of the tea (whichthey say are lost when the compound is purified for druguse).While the use of artemisia tea may be controversial, theneed to increase the world’s supply of Artemisia is not.Anamed has developed a variety of artemisia adapted toAfrican conditions known as Artemisia annua anamed(A-3) and the group has introduced over 715 artemisiagrowing projects in 75 countries.Their partners include the World Agroforestry Center(ICRAF) in Mozambique, which has taught thousands ofsouthern African farmers in their network how to growartemisia from stem cuttings.Anamed’s seeds are sold for $.01 per seed and each plantcan treat up to eight malaria sufferers. Those plants canthen be further propagated by taking stem cuttings.No one knows if synthetic biology will ultimately deliversafe and sufficient quantities of low-cost artemisinin forcontrolling malaria in the developing world. The GatesFoundation should insure that its focus on a synbio antimalarialdrug does not foreclose options for communitybased,farmer-led approaches.http://www.etcgroup.org/upload/publication/602/01/synbioreportweb.pdf☻☻☻☻☻☻Scientists Toll to TransformBug’s Fatal BiteTweaking mosquito’s genes could prevent it fromspreading malariaOctober 6, 2006Washington PostBy Michael E. RuaneBlood stains the walls of the cage where the deadlycreatures are kept.They look agitated and eager to escape, but they've justbeen fed, and David A. O'Brochta figures it's safe to stickhis hand inside. Normally they would bite. Especially ifyou're a person. Put yourself in a room full of cows, andthese things will single you out, O'Brochta says.Continued on page 28-27- Traditional African Clinic July/August 2007