Posts Tagged ‘natural herbs’

Hoodia Gordonii Discovered

Tuesday, July 20th, 2010

The southern African countries of South Africa, Namibia, Botswana and Angola are the abode of Hoodia gordonii. The San Bushmen who inhabits the Kalahari Desert had through generations transmitted their knowledge of the various uses of Hoodia. Of these uses, its use as an appetite suppressant was known to the outside world for some time. The San people used it to suppress their hunger during hunting expeditions that lasted a few days. The Hoodia extract was subject to scientific investigation by the South African Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) who patented the extract as P57 in 1997. CSIR sold the exclusive right to its use to Phytopharm, a British pharmaceutical company. Phytopharm granted the license to production to Pfizer. But Hoodia became a craze as a weight loss product much later when BBC reported on its use in 2003 and 60 Minutes in the next year.

Hoodia became a favorite weight loss product in the global market. But the fact that this knowledge was owned by San Bushmen was simply not remembered or acknowledged. The media then raked up this issue accusing Phytopharm of biopiracy. Confronted with this, Phytopharm lamely defended itself saying that the San people no longer existed when tens of thousands of them actually inhabited the southern African countries covering the Kalahari Desert. CSIR then admitted in 2003 that the San people were the source of this knowledge and that a portion of the royalty would indeed be shared with them. It is estimated that 0.003 percent of the retail sales were to be their share. This was a pittance though the point was well taken. Meanwhile, Pfizer returned Phytopharm the production rights who later transferred the rights to Unilever. Unilever were into production of diet foods such as Slim Fast. The company announced its intention to produce functional foods with Hoodia as the main ingredient.

Meanwhile Hoodia began to be marketed widely by a number of companies who claimed that their product contained Hoodia. These are available in a variety of forms as liquid, shakes, powder, capsules and pills such as Dex-L10 Hoodia, Hoodia Pure, Hoodia Extract, HoodiThin Liquid, Tru Hoodia Diet, H57 Hoodia, Hoodia SlimQuick, Hoodia Gordonii Shake Mix, Hoodia Shake, Hoodia Supreme, Hoodoba, and Desert Burn. Hoodia, in most cases, are combined with a few other useful items. Some Hoodia products are marketed for specific sections of consumers for instance Slimquick Hoodia diet which combines calcium, Vitamin D3 and Green Tea for women.

In the meanwhile Phytopharm acquired two more patents for the treatment of gastric disorders. More patent applications have been subsequently filed. There are other potential uses of the Hoodia such as sexual dysfunction, and the operation of glands such as the sweat, saliva and prostrate glands.

Health is very important. So, everybody should take care of their health.

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Biodiversity, Knowledge And Sharing

Monday, July 19th, 2010

According to their traditions, the individuals in the traditional communities do not and cannot own the natural resources and the knowledge associated with the biodiversity. The natural resource and the knowledge are the common property. This is held by the community collectively for the welfare of all. There are certain individuals or families who hold specialized knowledge. This is passed on to their progeny to transmit the knowledge to subsequent generation. This knowledge too is held in trust for the benefit of the community. The knowledge is not to be privatized and commercialized.

The issue of making this knowledge into intellectual property so that these can be traded as a commodity has come in for intense debate in recent times. What has come to emerge is that when such knowledge and related biodiversity is commercialized, the prior informed consent of the holders of the knowledge and related resources are to be obtained. The community should also receive a share in the profits from such commercialization. Governments are yet to incorporate these requirements in their respective national laws. However, these have now come to be recognized internationally as desirable principles.

Acquiring the biological material such as plants, microorganisms and animals or the traditional knowledge on these biological materials without the prior informed consent of those whose traditional knowledge or biodiversity are taken is called biopiracy. Hoodia earned the reputation as an appetite suppressant after this knowledge was discovered with the indigenous San people. The Hoodia extract has been the basis for a number of products in the weight loss market. After the media raised the issue of biopiracy, a share in the royalties is now offered to the San people. There are isolated examples of recognition of similar claims as Arogyapacha in India.

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is the international instrument that enunciated prior informed consent, and access and benefit sharing as the principles to guide such commercial exploitation of traditional knowledge. CBD became an international instrument of law in 1993. CBD provided for the right of countries to its genetic resource and knowledge to regulate and control them. The bioprospectors who intend to access these resources and knowledge are to obtain prior informed consent. These accesses are to be controlled and regulated by the respective national governments. All the countries have ratified CBD except for Andorra, Brunei, Somalia, Iraq, and United States.

Obesity can be treated in a lot of ways. However, natural treatments such as the Hoodia Extracts can treat obesity safely and effectively.

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Herbs Versus The Complications Of Pharmaceuticals

Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010

Herbs contain something called phytochemicals, which are medically beneficial. These are the oldest forms of medicine out there. There is an herb for just about anything from relieving the pain of terminal sickness to healing wounds to salving burns. Certain plants can even help with more psychological problems by boosting the right brain chemistry. It is all a matter of knowing which plant serves which purpose.

Some things like depression may seem to be impossible to cure with a plant. St. John’s wart, however, is a far safer option that taking antidepressants and it works just as well. It corrects your brain chemistry in a natural way to make you feel happier. There are no negative side effects like which antidepressants, which can sometimes make depression or suicidal feelings worse. In fact, many depressed kids take St. John’s wart. Rose hips and mushrooms have also been reputed to have compounds which get rid of depression.

Ginseng is a highly praised herb among Asian cultures. Some people prefer to use various forms of uppers to give them more energy. These can be highly addictive, make you shake, and easy to built up a tolerance to. Ginseng can give you the same amount of energy but has none of the side effects. Ginger is very good for your blood and stomach. Ginger is commonly given with meals because of its digestion help. It can also decongest you.

Flowering plants can either be poisonous or be good medicines. It is important to know which are which. Peonies and willow trees can have parts used to make great tea. It is good for stress relief and to help with colds–specifically sore throat and coughing problems.

Rhubarb is another common and yet medically over looked plant. Most people avoid it because it has a large amount of people who are allergic to it. It also has poisonous leaves. The rhubarb itself, though, can have numerous health benefits if it is prepared correctly. It is good for digestion and relieves constipation. It can be a salve for wounds and get rid of pain from injuries. It raises your immune system on the whole.

The roots of the sage plant are good for helping to repair your body after serious accidents or illnesses. It is also a viable option for reducing your cholesterol, instead of taking medications that could cause other complications. This is recommended for people with liver problems, too.

Myrrh is an eastern plant that regulates your body’s processes and the functioning of your organs. Most importantly, it connects well to blood and to uterus problems. Women who are suffering from menopause, endometriosis, and other menstrual problems can take this to help fix things. Cinnamon has extra preventative measures for diseases that are borne by insects, since it is a bug repellent. It is good for colds and even can fight diabetes.

Herb remedies may not be one hundred percent effective and there may be times when prescriptions are absolutely essential to your health. However, as people get older, they tend to stock up on more and more medicine that they may not really need. Things get complicated and expensive. Talk to your doctor and see if natural remedies through herbal pills and teas could work just as well for you.

Herbs contain something called phytochemicals, which are super beneficial for your body and mind. We’ve got the inside scoop now on http://tommiehoward.offershop.us/health

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