News tagged with medicinal plant

Castor oil: Action mechanism of one of the oldest drugs known to man elucidated

Castor oil is known primarily as an effective laxative; however, it was also used in ancient times with pregnant women to induce labour. Only now have scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung ...

Chemistry / Biochemistry

created May 21, 2012 | popularity 3 / 5 (2) | comments 3 | with audio podcast

Licorice root found to contain anti-diabetic substance

It provides the raw material for liquorice candy, calms the stomach and alleviates diseases of the airways: liquorice root. Chosen as the "Medicinal plant 2012", the root has been treasured in traditional healing since ancient ...

Chemistry / Biochemistry

created Apr 17, 2012 | popularity 5 / 5 (2) | comments 0

Deep sequencing reveals undeclared, potentially toxic ingredients within 15 samples of traditional Chinese medicines

Researchers at Murdoch University have used new DNA sequencing technology to reveal the animal and plant composition of traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs). Some of the TCM samples tested contained potentially ...

Biology / Biotechnology

created Apr 12, 2012 | popularity 5 / 5 (3) | comments 1 | with audio podcast

Scientists examine toxicity of medicinal plants in Peru

Many developing countries rely on traditional medicine as an accessible and affordable treatment option for human maladies. However, until now, scientific data has not existed to evaluate the potential toxicity of medicinal ...

Biology / Ecology

created Dec 14, 2011 | popularity 5 / 5 (2) | comments 2

Early lineage of Larkspur and Monkshood plants rediscovered in Southern Europe

Larkspurs, monkshoods, and aconites are plants, widely cultivated for their beauty and medicinal properties. They all belong to the Delphinieae, a natural group of 650-700 species ranging from Eurasia into ...

Biology / Plants & Animals

created Dec 08, 2011 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Two rhino species bite the dust: Red List

Several species of rhino have been poached into extinction or to the point of no return, according to an update of the Red List of Threatened Species, the gold standard for animal and plant conservation.

Biology / Ecology

created Nov 10, 2011 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 2

Herbal remedies offer hope as the new antibiotics

Cancer treatments often have the side effect of impairing the patient's immune system. This can result in life-threatening secondary infections from bacteria and fungi, especially since bacteria, like Staphylococcus aureus, are be ...

Biology / Cell & Microbiology

created May 20, 2011 | popularity 2.7 / 5 (3) | comments 1

Solving a traditional Chinese medicine mystery

Researchers at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine have discovered that a natural product isolated from a traditional Chinese medicinal plant commonly known as thunder god vine, or lei gong teng, and used for hundreds of ...

Chemistry / Biochemistry

created Mar 03, 2011 | popularity 4.6 / 5 (10) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Translating Chinese medicine for the West

In a traditional Chinese medicine store in central Beijing, part of the Tongrentang chain founded 342 years ago, three white-coated workers follow traditions that stretch even further back in time. They sort and chop an exotic ...

Medicine & Health / Medications

created Oct 11, 2010 | popularity 4 / 5 (1) | comments 0

Potential industrial and agricultural uses of echinacea trump health claims

Echinacea has been used for hundreds of years as an herbal remedy to prevent or treat colds, and today it is among the most commonly used herbal medicines in North America. However, in spite of its popularity, ...

Chemistry / Biochemistry

created Jun 29, 2010 | popularity 4.2 / 5 (5) | comments 2

Compound from Myrtles Synthesized: Successful Total Synthesis of Myrtucommulone A

(PhysOrg.com) -- Myrtle has been considered to be a medicinal plant since ancient times. In addition to a number of essential oils, myrtle contains myrtucommulone A, a pharmacologically interesting compound that has antibacterial, ...

Chemistry / Biochemistry

created Feb 18, 2010 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Pumpkin skin may scare away germs

The skin of that pumpkin you carve into a Jack-o'-Lantern to scare away ghosts and goblins on Halloween contains a substance that could put a scare into microbes that cause millions of cases of yeast infections ...

Chemistry / Biochemistry

created Oct 28, 2009 | popularity 5 / 5 (2) | comments 0

New 'biofactories' produce rare healing substances in the endangered Devil's claw plant

Deep in Africa's Kalahari Desert lies the "Devil's claw," a plant that may hold the key to effective treatments for arthritis, tendonitis and other illnesses that affect millions each year. Unfortunately, ...

Chemistry / Other

created Aug 16, 2009 | popularity 3.3 / 5 (4) | comments 0

Scientists develop a new HIV microbicide -- and a way to mass produce it in plants

In what could be a major pharmaceutical breakthrough, research published online in The FASEB Journal describes how scientists from St George's, University of London have devised a one-two punch to stop HIV. First the report ...

Medicine & Health / HIV & AIDS

created May 28, 2009 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0

Research finds kava is safe and effective

(PhysOrg.com) -- UQ research has found a traditional extract of kava, a medicinal plant from the South Pacific, to be safe and effective in reducing anxiety.

Medicine & Health / Psychology & Psychiatry

created May 11, 2009 | popularity 4.5 / 5 (12) | comments 1