After 2,000 Years, Scientists Learn How One Chinese Herbal Medicine Works

[baddbob]

Scientists in the United States on Sunday offered a molecular-level explanation for how a Chinese herbal medicine used for more than 2,000 years tackles fever and eases malaria

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/revealed-secrets-of-ancient-chinese-medicinal-herb-2012-12#ixzz2FzqHBT7U

[hangel]

About the time!:rolleyes:

[Cjay]

The bad part of this story is:


In 2009, researchers made insights into its active ingredient, febrifuginone, which can be pharmaceutically made as a molecule called halofuginone.

The pharmaceutical companies want to create synthetic versions of natural substances so they can patent them and generate huge profits. Usually, synthetic molecules are less effective than the natural substances, at least partly because the natural substances work in concert with many other substances found in the plants.

One example of this is synthetic THC, which is far less effective than the natural version found in cannabis plants. The cannabis plant produces approximately 70 oils which work together to provide therapeutic benefits.

[modwiz]

The bad part of this story is:


In 2009, researchers made insights into its active ingredient, febrifuginone, which can be pharmaceutically made as a molecule called halofuginone.

The pharmaceutical companies want to create synthetic versions of natural substances so they can patent them and generate huge profits. Usually, synthetic molecules are less effective than the natural substances, at least partly because the natural substances work in concert with many other substances found in the plants.

One example of this is synthetic THC, which is far less effective than the natural version found in cannabis plants. The cannabis plant produces approximately 70 oils which work together to provide therapeutic benefits.

Active ingredient is just more of their reductionist bullsh!t science. It is limited in scope except for projections of profits. I have a few words for them.......in suppository form. :P

[markpierre]

The active ingredient is the intentions of the doctor and the patient working in unison.

I want to see them synthesize that.

[westhill]

Cjay... you are so right!!!!!
I do essential oils and every bottle is different. It is the difference that makes them effective
especially against bacteria which can't adapt. Synthetic oils/herbs are in a sense dumb (or insane)
just like the corporations that manufacture them.

[Arrowwind]

Scientists in the United States on Sunday offered a molecular-level explanation for how a Chinese herbal medicine used for more than 2,000 years tackles fever and eases malaria

http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/50d87867ecad04c619000023-681-400-/hydrangea.jpeg


Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/revealed-secrets-of-ancient-chinese-medicinal-herb-2012-12#ixzz2FzqHBT7U

This link is no longer working. Can you provide an alternative?

[hangel]

The bad part of this story is:


In 2009, researchers made insights into its active ingredient, febrifuginone, which can be pharmaceutically made as a molecule called halofuginone.

The pharmaceutical companies want to create synthetic versions of natural substances so they can patent them and generate huge profits. Usually, synthetic molecules are less effective than the natural substances, at least partly because the natural substances work in concert with many other substances found in the plants.

One example of this is synthetic THC, which is far less effective than the natural version found in cannabis plants. The cannabis plant produces approximately 70 oils which work together to provide therapeutic benefits.

not necessary. The companies are to make money. And as cost is concerned - they prefer to do the synthetic versions because natural will be just too expensive to make.
Here comes the question: is the buyer going to pay this much or that much. Buyer - no matter if its you or your NHS (National Health Service).
Now, as far as health economics goes (the science telling your health institution if its still worth to pay for expensive medicine for you or not) there is a certain limit as to what your NHS will pay for your medicine. In the UK this is connected with peoples postcode. I know im going to stir here a bit but i know what in saying because i had an argument with professor of Heath Economics at UCL this May about the postcodes. Well, so if you live in 'posh' area then your NHS will pay for more expensive medicine for you. If you live in poor area then NHS will only buy a cheap crap to teat you.

So its the synthetic that would be chosen for most of us. Synthetics are quite expensive but in many cases the process is well controlled and well regulated. Please imagine what kind of regulatory nightmare it would be if all 70 oils were all made and mixed up for final formulation? all 70 substances would need a separate clinical trials and their different concentrations and combinations etc etc = nightmare with gov, regulators, legals, god know who else. Then you have to prove all that 70 oils are useful and needed. Just easier to take one oil, most important oil, and make it.
Before the medicine is on the market the pharmaceutical company has to put multiple billions (not millions) of $. Many nice medicines never make it through because there is some problem with one of the production processes. There are some definite blockbuster drugs, but many, many never make profit. The blockbuster ones are making money for the ones that dont.

For the drug mentioned, it would be quite stupid to waste all the cash on getting some of the oils approved if people can get it easily and without being looked on.

I dont think with the weed the matter is: can it be synthetic. The problem lies deep into aspect of who is making money out of it now. This 'institution' is far more powerful to just give the profit away for pharm industry. And that 'institution' need an illegal (read uncontrolled) source of cash so it can fund its dirty games without being looked into.

[hangel]

The active ingredient is the intentions of the doctor and the patient working in unison.

I want to see them synthesize that.

Currently there is a wide spread research towards so called 'tailored' medicines. The production lines for very specific treatment - i.e. cancer - are small. The drug will be tested and made for several people. Yes. It cost hell at lot at the moment, but many drugs costed hell a lot 50 years ago and now are cheap. Im talking of biological therapeutics here. These are proteins or peptides that patients organism lacks, that's why he/she is ill. Other people may have natural immunity for this type of disease. The antibody of the healthy person can be developed into drug for the ill one. The antibody will be obviously produced by cells. Most used in industry are Chinese ovary hamster cells that can produce humanised antibody that can treat people.