by Harveen Kaur
The world as we know it is just like the human body. Just like how our body is made up of endless pieces of information that are unique to each one of us, the world is filled with endless versions of healing unique to generations, locations, and groups of people. Each piece of genetic material within us is there for a reason, and various medical philosophies in the world also exist for a reason. Now more than ever, alternative medicine practices rooted in ancient traditions have become more popular, and researching ethnomedicine has gained further acceptance in the medical community. Ethnomedicine is a subfield of medical anthropology that studies traditional and indigenous medicines, and this field specifically focuses on cultural philosophical perspectives in a less biomedical-based angle [1]. Such alternative forms of healing typically involve medicinal plants and herbs, many of which have been shown to contain important and novel pharmacologically active ingredients capable of treating several diseases [2]. This begs the question, what can plants do that the current field of medicine can’t do?
Throughout the course of multiple civilizations, ethnomedical practices have been the driving force of traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurveda medicine in India, Unani medical practices in Mughal India, Muti in Africa, and many more. Those who managed ethnomedical practices in traditional societies were often perceived as healers. These individuals were well-versed in herbalism, ethnobotany, and human nature based on anatomy, biochemistry, ethnopharmacology, and genetics [2]. In fact, the field of ethnobotany genomics is quite interesting because it conglomerates traditional and scientific knowledge through DNA barcoding, which examines certain individual genes to identify different cryptic plant species [3]. These species can play a tremendous role in preserving humankind through cures and ailments that developed nations had discarded thousands of years ago.
For instance, tuberculosis (TB) is one of the most prominent global infectious diseases that has caused significant morbidity and mortality to humans for decades [4]. However, there is still no official treatment plan to cure TB in any part of the world, and decades of research have failed to formulate a solution to this condition. But, what if we take a simple U-turn back to nature? Luckily, the Jakun community in Malaysia has been practicing various modes of TB treatment using 23 different species of medicinal plants — such as those classified within the Arecaceae (palm tree) and Rubiaceae (madder/flowering plant) botanical families — and they have succeeded on numerous accounts [4]. These plants were able to treat versions of an active TB disease and nine TB-related symptoms in a total of 100 participants through fresh preparations of traditional herbal remedies with plant roots rich in steroids, alkaloids, and volatile organic compounds [4]. Specifically, the plant-based concoctions were able to reduce and mitigate fever, cough, fatigue, respiratory distress and in some instances, helped treat active TB itself [4]. Now, take infectious diseases, congenital defects, facial and structural abnormalities, and poisoning [5]. These categories of conditions can be mapped to a respective ICD-9-CM code (a scoring system for metal, behavioral, and neurodevelopmental disorder), and their respective codes are high enough to reasonably infer a future association with plant species for ethnobotanical treatment according to Primary Health Care Manuals for Micronesian islands [5]. For example, the consumption of betel nuts was shown to make schizophrenic symptoms milder for males due to the presence of arecoline, an agent that activates a specific acetylcholine receptor in the body [5]. Understanding the importance of betel nuts may be helpful for enhancing social activity in schizophrenia patients, which begs the question if the effectiveness of betel nuts can also reduce the symptoms of other conditions that affect cognitive abilities [5]. Is this not enough?
If not, plants have yet to be appreciated for possibly their most astonishing ability - antiviral therapy. Various plants which are used for ethnomedical purposes, such as those from the botanical families mentioned earlier, are able to produce a large array of secondary metabolites, such as proteins, peptides, terpenoids, and phenolics, that are primarily used to shield away pathogens [2]. While these categories may stem from a section of medicine that has never been openly discussed before, plants have demonstrated the potential to prevent heavily contagious and antiviral-resistant qualities in HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) and SARS-CoV (severe acute respiratory syndrome associated coronavirus) strains [2]. Specifically, plant-derived products are currently being studied as potential reservoirs for medicines containing anti-HIV agents, and species that show great anti-HIV activity include Justicia gendarussa (willow-leaved shrubs) and Terminalia paniculata (kindal trees native to southwest India) [6]. For SARS-CoV, 25 Chinese herbal families, such as species from the Magnoliaceae (magnolia) and Polygonaceae (buckwheat) botanical families primarily found in Asia, were able to have great inhibitory effects for the ACE-2 receptor on certain viral strains which is required to infect human cells [7]. These discoveries, while astonishing, are very seriously underestimated in the realm of medicine that we live in, despite the fact that natural alternatives were once the only available and successful form of medical knowledge.
To date, many individuals are unaware of the fact that the grass they mow each week, the trees that are cut down next to their homes, and the flowers that they unknowingly step on could all possibly be the reasons why an individual will one day be healthy. Currently, some organizations in developed countries have begun to formulate databases of medicinal and holistic plants and their plans to slowly grow them, but none of this is on a scale extensive enough to provide for a large population. Growing such plants has proven to be more feasible in comparison to modern medical practices, especially since developing countries implement these practices in the absence of a fully-functioning medical industry. Why, then, can’t developed countries do this too? What we know now regarding medical advancements, artificial intelligence, and costly treatment plans could all be replaced with the force of nature.
Works Cited
[1] Wimmer, R. Acupuncture Today, 2008.
[2] Mahapatra, A. D. et al. Science Direct. 2019, 35–61.
[3] Newmaster, S. G., & Ragupathy, S. Journal of Ethnobio. 2010, 6, 2.
[4] Sabran, S. F. et al. Evidence-Based Complement. Altern. Med. 2016, 1-2.
[5] Sharma, V., Law, W., Balick, M. J., & Sarkar, I. N. AMIA Jt. Summits Transl. Sci. 2016, 84–93
[6] Salehi, B. et al. International Journal of Molecular Sci. 2018, 19, 5.
[7] Benarba, B., & Pandiella, A. Frontiers in Pharmacology. 2020, 11.