Medicinal Plants
Transcript: Herbs and Cancer Debate - legalization battle over marijuana is the subject of marijuana as a form of medicine. - The medical marijuana debate has been made a great battle between states' rights and the powers of federal government because of the contradictory decisions of the state legislatures and the U.S. Supreme Court. What Is Medicinal Plant? -Medicinal plant is a type of plant that has chemical substances which can heal the diseases. -Medicinal plant is also called a herb. -Medicinal plant can be categorized into trees, shrubs, woody perennials, annuals and biennials, and climbers. -There are over 20,000 species of medicinal plants that have been used around the world. -The discoveries of new drugs from plants are still going on nowadays such as drugs against cancer, HIV/AIDS, Alzheimer’s, malaria, and pain. - Many of the chemotherapies used to fight cancer in modern medicine were developed from natural substances. - About three-quarters of the pharmaceutical compounds used today came from plants used in traditional medicine. - 76 species of Chinese plants were analyzed, 18 of which were found to significantly suppress the growth of cancer cells. - Taxanes used to treat prostate and breast cancer came from yew trees - Vinca alkaloids, which are used to treat malignant lymphomas, are made from periwinkle plants. - The anti-cancer drugs, topotecan and irinotecan, come from a component of the Camptotheca acuminata (Chinese Happy Tree). - Some of them have two sides effect. Medicinal Plants Medicinal uses: -coughs -asthma -arteriosclerosis -bronchitis -nausea -upset stomach - capture, kill, and digest animal organisms - live in areas where there is no food and have low quality of soil - they must supplement their diets with nutrients gained from digesting insects - they can attract bugs, spiders, beetles and other small creepy-crawly things Carnivorous plants are used in a variety of folk preparations and medicines. Medicinal uses: -Digestive disorders -Constipation -Urinary tract diseases -Preventing scar formation -Small pox Venus Flytrap - perennial plant that traps and eats insects - They are pressed to remove the liquid extract, which is used as an herbal remedy, - They have immune stimulant and anticancer properties. . By Praew Keeki Mook Modtanoy Advantages of medicinal plants -less side effects than pharmaceutical drugs -can be consumed without prescription -lower cost -more effective with long standing health problems that cannot be cured well by traditional medicines such as Arthritis. Common Names: Ephedra, Chinese Ephedra, ma huang Latin Name: Ephedra sinica Ephedra has been used for more than 5,000 years, especially in China and India, to treat conditions such as cold, fever, flu, headaches, asthma, wheezing, and nasal congestion. However, it is recently becoming very controversial throughout the world. Disadvantages of medicinal plants -risk of poisoning associated with wild herbs -can interact with prescribed medicine and produce dangerous side effects -risk of overdose -cannot really cure the serious illness such as broken arm or heart attack as well as conventional medicine -can cause allergies in some cases -take longer time than conventional medicine to cure diseases References Marijuana Pros - marijuana may specifically kill or stop the growth of many types of cancers. - There is an evidence that marijuana can reduce the growth of deadly brain tumors known as gliomas. - Patients receiving cannabinoids [smoked marijuana and marijuana pills] had improved immune function compared with those receiving placebo. Cons - lack of consistence and repeatable scientific data that are available to prove marijuana's medical benefits. - Smoked marijuana damages the brain, heart, lungs, and immune system. - Impairment of thinking, problem-solving skills and memory - Reduce balance and coordination - Increase risk of heart attack - Raise the risk of chronic cough and respiratory infections - Potential for hallucinations and withdrawal symptoms Ephedra Controversy Sun dews - It can trap and digest insects to obtain extra nutrients, such as nitrogen. - It have also been used in herbal medicine for a long time. Thank you Pitcher plant - It obtaining nutrients such as carbon and nitrogen. - It possess a highly developed set of compounds and secondary metabolites to aid in their survival. -These compounds could serve as a new class of anti-fungal drugs for use in human medicine. Why is that? - The plant naturally contains two alkaloids known as ephedrine and pseudoephedrine, as well as smaller amounts of related alkaloids. - The principal active ingredient, ephedrine, is a compound that can powerfully stimulate the nervous system and heart. - Recently, ephedra has been used as an ingredient in dietary supplements for weight loss, increased energy, and enhanced athletic performance. - Several cases of death caused by ephedra toxicity were reported. - In 2004, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned the