1 00:00:05,769 --> 00:00:11,899 James Wong: December 7th, 1941, a surprise Japanese aerial attack on the 2 00:00:11,899 --> 00:00:16,329 James Wong: American Naval Base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii initiated the 3 00:00:16,329 --> 00:00:19,929 James Wong: formal entry of the United States into the second World 4 00:00:19,930 --> 00:00:27,690 James Wong: War. Thousands were killed. The damage was extensive. In addition 5 00:00:27,690 --> 00:00:30,580 James Wong: to those that died that day, the Pearl Harbor attack 6 00:00:30,580 --> 00:00:33,320 James Wong: led to a far greater loss of life amongst the 7 00:00:33,320 --> 00:00:37,889 James Wong: Allied forces. Since the start of the war, malaria had 8 00:00:37,890 --> 00:00:41,909 James Wong: ravaged forces stationed in the West Indies. Only held at 9 00:00:41,909 --> 00:00:45,159 James Wong: Bay by a wonder drug from the Dutch East Indies 10 00:00:45,430 --> 00:00:50,529 James Wong: modern day, Indonesia. The source of this plantations of the 11 00:00:50,530 --> 00:00:54,279 James Wong: humble Cinchona tree on the Island of Java, where 90% of 12 00:00:54,279 --> 00:00:59,630 James Wong: the world's Quinine was sourced. Demand for this plant based 13 00:00:59,630 --> 00:01:04,069 James Wong: malaria cure roared during wartime. But by crippling the Allied 14 00:01:04,069 --> 00:01:07,240 James Wong: defense through the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the capturing 15 00:01:07,240 --> 00:01:10,610 James Wong: of Singapore, there was nothing to stop the Japanese from 16 00:01:10,610 --> 00:01:14,250 James Wong: taking Java and cutting off supplies to their enemies in 17 00:01:14,250 --> 00:01:18,470 James Wong: the West In the effort to acquire the island's rich 18 00:01:18,520 --> 00:01:22,410 James Wong: oil fields, Japan also denied its opponents one of the 19 00:01:22,410 --> 00:01:26,780 James Wong: most crucial medicines in human history, and scientists were forced 20 00:01:26,780 --> 00:01:29,759 James Wong: to seek out an alternative to the substance that had 21 00:01:29,810 --> 00:01:34,160 James Wong: enabled Western colonization of the tropics for centuries. 22 00:01:34,390 --> 00:01:39,009 Kim Walker: Cinchona has been called a tool of imperialism and that's 23 00:01:39,009 --> 00:01:43,110 Kim Walker: because Quinine, which is the active antimalarial chemical found in 24 00:01:43,110 --> 00:01:46,830 Kim Walker: the bark, was so important for empire, particularly across 18th and 25 00:01:46,940 --> 00:01:47,970 Kim Walker: 19th century. 26 00:01:48,320 --> 00:01:51,499 James Wong: Today, we find out how plants and medicines have changed 27 00:01:51,500 --> 00:01:55,470 James Wong: the fortunes of nations, and their roots from forest to 28 00:01:55,470 --> 00:02:00,600 James Wong: pharmacy throughout history. We'll hear how the hunger for cures 29 00:02:00,820 --> 00:02:05,809 James Wong: has transformed landscapes, seen powers rise and fall, and altered 30 00:02:05,809 --> 00:02:07,350 James Wong: human history forever. 31 00:02:07,940 --> 00:02:10,810 Kim Walker: Quinine started to gain extra significance for them. So to 32 00:02:10,810 --> 00:02:13,840 Kim Walker: be able to control the quality and quantity of supply 33 00:02:14,210 --> 00:02:18,169 Kim Walker: became very important. Plantations started to be grown in British India and 34 00:02:18,169 --> 00:02:18,990 Kim Walker: Dutch Indonesia. 35 00:02:19,400 --> 00:02:21,980 James Wong: And we'll hear what we can learn and how lives 36 00:02:21,980 --> 00:02:25,389 James Wong: can be saved in the search for modern day medicines. 37 00:02:25,720 --> 00:02:28,010 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: Plants are actually brilliant chemists. 38 00:02:28,280 --> 00:02:32,730 James Wong: I'm James Wong, and welcome to Unearth Mysteries from an 39 00:02:32,730 --> 00:02:42,260 James Wong: unseen world from Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Today, I'm finding 40 00:02:42,269 --> 00:02:45,549 James Wong: out how one kind of tree changed the course of 41 00:02:45,549 --> 00:02:50,320 James Wong: world history. The cinchona tree is native to South America. 42 00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:54,680 James Wong: Myth has it that in 1630, the Spanish Countess of Chinchon 43 00:02:55,620 --> 00:02:59,690 James Wong: visited Peru and fell ill with a fever. The substance 44 00:02:59,690 --> 00:03:03,530 James Wong: given to cure her was the bark of cinchona, which we now 45 00:03:03,530 --> 00:03:07,930 James Wong: know contains many useful substances, only one of which is 46 00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:12,639 James Wong: Quinine. And whilst the real story of how cinchona's healing 47 00:03:12,639 --> 00:03:16,679 James Wong: properties first made it into medicine, remains a mystery, there 48 00:03:16,679 --> 00:03:19,899 James Wong: are plenty of clues to help us piece together some 49 00:03:19,899 --> 00:03:24,519 James Wong: of that history. The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew has one 50 00:03:24,519 --> 00:03:27,829 James Wong: of the largest collections of cinchona bark in addition to 51 00:03:27,850 --> 00:03:31,570 James Wong: Herbarium specimens and a wealth of historical records from the 52 00:03:31,570 --> 00:03:36,920 James Wong: 19th century when Quinine was transported around the world. It's this 53 00:03:36,920 --> 00:03:40,300 James Wong: archive that makes Kew, so compelling for my first guest. 54 00:03:40,900 --> 00:03:44,290 Kim Walker: I'm Kim Walker, and I am a PhD student at 55 00:03:44,290 --> 00:03:46,550 Kim Walker: Kew. And I work in the Economic Botany Department and 56 00:03:46,550 --> 00:03:49,730 Kim Walker: I study that collection of cinchona bark. It does sound 57 00:03:49,730 --> 00:03:52,850 Kim Walker: a bit dry, doesn't it studying bark? But actually if 58 00:03:52,850 --> 00:03:54,570 Kim Walker: you're going to pick a bark, this is probably one 59 00:03:54,570 --> 00:03:59,040 Kim Walker: of the most interesting ones in history. Cinchona bark contains 60 00:03:59,040 --> 00:04:02,420 Kim Walker: Quinine which for over 300 years was the only known 61 00:04:02,570 --> 00:04:06,619 Kim Walker: malaria treatment in Europe. And also is the flavoring in 62 00:04:06,619 --> 00:04:09,190 Kim Walker: everybody's favorite cocktail, the gin and tonic, because it is 63 00:04:09,190 --> 00:04:10,040 Kim Walker: the flavoring and tonic water. 64 00:04:11,610 --> 00:04:14,950 James Wong: When we talk about malaria, it's quite difficult to picture a world 65 00:04:15,390 --> 00:04:20,440 James Wong: before cinchona bark was in existence, because malaria wasn't something that was just found in 66 00:04:20,440 --> 00:04:21,299 James Wong: remote location. 67 00:04:21,779 --> 00:04:25,189 Kim Walker: Yeah, absolutely. So it's just slightly out of living memory 68 00:04:25,190 --> 00:04:27,870 Kim Walker: now. So not many people realize that we used to have 69 00:04:27,930 --> 00:04:31,310 Kim Walker: malaria and Britain all the way up to the first World War. 70 00:04:31,700 --> 00:04:34,750 James Wong: So tell me about the history of cinchona bark. How 71 00:04:34,750 --> 00:04:36,970 James Wong: do we know that it contains Quinine and that that's 72 00:04:37,659 --> 00:04:39,170 James Wong: an effective treatment for malaria? 73 00:04:39,960 --> 00:04:44,419 Kim Walker: That's a really interesting question because when the Spanish entered South 74 00:04:44,419 --> 00:04:47,830 Kim Walker: America, which is where cinchona comes from originally, across the 75 00:04:47,830 --> 00:04:52,010 Kim Walker: Eastern slopes of the Andes, before this period, malaria, or 76 00:04:52,010 --> 00:04:54,219 Kim Walker: at least a very severe forms of malaria didn't exist. 77 00:04:54,529 --> 00:04:57,520 Kim Walker: So as the Spanish come in, bringing malaria with them, 78 00:04:57,700 --> 00:05:00,979 Kim Walker: and Cinchona trees already grow South America is not very 79 00:05:00,979 --> 00:05:05,870 Kim Walker: clear who or when somebody connected that cinchona bark kills 80 00:05:05,870 --> 00:05:09,650 Kim Walker: malaria. But it's likely that it would have been indigenous healers, had 81 00:05:09,650 --> 00:05:14,000 Kim Walker: really superior knowledge of local botanics and healing. And so 82 00:05:14,010 --> 00:05:16,779 Kim Walker: at the (inaudible) , as it were, where new diseases were 83 00:05:16,779 --> 00:05:20,270 Kim Walker: entering the country and cinchona may have already been in 84 00:05:20,270 --> 00:05:22,000 Kim Walker: use for other things, they would have put two and 85 00:05:22,000 --> 00:05:24,950 Kim Walker: two together and found the treatment. We do know that 86 00:05:24,950 --> 00:05:29,570 Kim Walker: was around about 1600. And by about the mid 1600s cinchona 87 00:05:29,570 --> 00:05:32,500 Kim Walker: bark started being imported into Europe. 88 00:05:32,919 --> 00:05:36,629 James Wong: Is this presumably because cinchona bark was really important for 89 00:05:36,630 --> 00:05:39,270 James Wong: industry at one point in time? People wouldn't be able to 90 00:05:39,270 --> 00:05:42,130 James Wong: conduct business across large parts of the world, if you 91 00:05:42,130 --> 00:05:44,820 James Wong: couldn't physically access them while staying healthy. 92 00:05:45,260 --> 00:05:51,159 Kim Walker: Absolutely. So cinchona has been called a tool of imperialism 93 00:05:51,890 --> 00:05:56,599 Kim Walker: and that's because Quinine, which is the active antimalarial chemical found 94 00:05:56,599 --> 00:06:00,500 Kim Walker: in the bark, was so important for empire, particularly across 18th and 95 00:06:00,500 --> 00:06:05,150 Kim Walker: 19th century. And so, for many different countries within Europe 96 00:06:05,150 --> 00:06:08,359 Kim Walker: who are interested in expanding into new territories and colonizing 97 00:06:08,359 --> 00:06:11,719 Kim Walker: areas, such as India and parts of Africa, Quinine was 98 00:06:11,719 --> 00:06:15,950 Kim Walker: really important because unless you can control disease, whenever you 99 00:06:15,950 --> 00:06:18,820 Kim Walker: were to go somewhere that may have something like malaria, 100 00:06:19,169 --> 00:06:21,159 Kim Walker: you're more likely to die off than to be able to 101 00:06:21,159 --> 00:06:22,139 Kim Walker: enter those places. 102 00:06:23,339 --> 00:06:26,900 James Wong: How is Quintin traditionally administered? Was it administered in tonic water? 103 00:06:27,400 --> 00:06:30,670 Kim Walker: Tonic water came a little bit later in the 19th century, 104 00:06:31,000 --> 00:06:35,089 Kim Walker: which is about the mid 1800s. But originally how Europeans 105 00:06:35,089 --> 00:06:38,740 Kim Walker: started to use cinchona was in very traditional ways to 106 00:06:38,740 --> 00:06:40,900 Kim Walker: use medicine, which is getting the bark, which is a 107 00:06:40,900 --> 00:06:43,960 Kim Walker: very tough material, grinding up into a powder. So you 108 00:06:43,960 --> 00:06:46,339 Kim Walker: can crack open all the plant cells and get the 109 00:06:46,339 --> 00:06:49,490 Kim Walker: chemicals out, and then dilute it. And the best way 110 00:06:49,490 --> 00:06:53,830 Kim Walker: to dilute and extract chemicals quite often is by using 111 00:06:53,830 --> 00:06:57,539 Kim Walker: a bit of alcohol. So early ways to dilute it 112 00:06:57,539 --> 00:07:00,619 Kim Walker: would have been using wine, or port, or perhaps stronger 113 00:07:00,620 --> 00:07:04,500 Kim Walker: spirits like brandy. By the 19th century, it was one of 114 00:07:04,500 --> 00:07:09,500 Kim Walker: the largest imports of American drugs imported to Europe. Demand 115 00:07:09,500 --> 00:07:12,499 Kim Walker: started to outstrip supply, and it started to be over 116 00:07:12,500 --> 00:07:16,800 Kim Walker: harvested in the world by some unscrupulous harvesters. And as this 117 00:07:16,800 --> 00:07:20,170 Kim Walker: happened, and as the 19th century grew older and different 118 00:07:20,170 --> 00:07:23,900 Kim Walker: empire started to look further afield to colonize new areas, 119 00:07:24,300 --> 00:07:28,580 Kim Walker: Quinine started to gain extra significance for them. Around the 120 00:07:28,580 --> 00:07:32,900 Kim Walker: early 1900s, different countries, particularly the Dutch and the British, 121 00:07:33,110 --> 00:07:35,360 Kim Walker: started to look into how they could get hold of 122 00:07:35,360 --> 00:07:38,980 Kim Walker: this tree for themselves to cultivate. Quinine was used all 123 00:07:38,980 --> 00:07:42,650 Kim Walker: the way up to the second World War, when supplies 124 00:07:42,650 --> 00:07:48,559 Kim Walker: from Indonesian plantations got caught off. Unfortunately, using Quinine to 125 00:07:48,560 --> 00:07:53,070 Kim Walker: control the ability to colonize the areas is not a very 126 00:07:53,140 --> 00:07:54,939 Kim Walker: nice thing to think about. And for the British and the 127 00:07:55,030 --> 00:07:57,270 Kim Walker: Dutch to get hold of these trees, they were going 128 00:07:57,270 --> 00:07:59,950 Kim Walker: to have to basically smuggle them out of South America. 129 00:08:00,230 --> 00:08:03,090 Kim Walker: And they were justifying that as saving the seeds because 130 00:08:03,090 --> 00:08:07,820 Kim Walker: of over harvesting, which is very complicated, because really nowadays 131 00:08:08,470 --> 00:08:11,470 Kim Walker: you wouldn't do that. You would work with communities to 132 00:08:11,470 --> 00:08:14,650 Kim Walker: bring up the cinchona bark and make it available for 133 00:08:14,650 --> 00:08:18,389 Kim Walker: everybody if they chose to. Everything was different then. And 134 00:08:18,390 --> 00:08:23,379 Kim Walker: unfortunately, they smuggled out to make plantations in India and Indonesia. 135 00:08:23,660 --> 00:08:26,809 James Wong: So in that time, that was really considered par for the core. 136 00:08:26,810 --> 00:08:30,020 James Wong: So people wouldn't have raised an eyebrow at all about 137 00:08:30,020 --> 00:08:32,859 James Wong: the idea of taking plant material for one part of 138 00:08:32,860 --> 00:08:35,220 James Wong: the world, or taking the knowledge of plant material even, 139 00:08:35,449 --> 00:08:38,590 James Wong: and applying it for themselves. But nowadays we actually have 140 00:08:38,590 --> 00:08:41,099 James Wong: a term for that bio- piracy and the same way 141 00:08:41,100 --> 00:08:46,230 James Wong: that you would pirate a bootleg CD or a copy 142 00:08:46,230 --> 00:08:48,229 James Wong: of a film that you download off the internet. We 143 00:08:49,340 --> 00:08:53,270 James Wong: would have the same term for biological genetic information, and 144 00:08:53,270 --> 00:08:58,110 James Wong: also information about how to grow and use plants. Now 145 00:08:58,110 --> 00:09:01,050 James Wong: I should just point out here that Kim's book, Just 146 00:09:01,050 --> 00:09:04,490 James Wong: the Tonic a Natural History of Tonic Water, which she co- 147 00:09:04,490 --> 00:09:08,530 James Wong: wrote with Mark Nesbitt, is a fantastic read. If you'd 148 00:09:08,530 --> 00:09:11,079 James Wong: like to delve a little deeper into the rich history of 149 00:09:11,220 --> 00:09:15,730 James Wong: this favorite tipple, then check it out. The Cinchona story 150 00:09:15,730 --> 00:09:19,140 James Wong: is just one example of how a naturally occurring medicine 151 00:09:19,390 --> 00:09:23,080 James Wong: played an essential role in the movement of people internationally. 152 00:09:23,550 --> 00:09:26,540 James Wong: With the current conversation about the British empire and its 153 00:09:26,540 --> 00:09:31,319 James Wong: legacy, it's fascinating to me to contemplate whether European powers 154 00:09:31,530 --> 00:09:34,370 James Wong: would have been able to colonize the world's tropical regions 155 00:09:34,550 --> 00:09:37,729 James Wong: to the same extent, if at all, without this wonder 156 00:09:37,730 --> 00:09:41,870 James Wong: drug. Or would history have unfolded quite differently? It's amazing 157 00:09:41,870 --> 00:09:44,420 James Wong: to think that this humble tree might have carried the 158 00:09:44,420 --> 00:09:49,949 James Wong: course of history upon its delicate branches. Nowadays, scientists are 159 00:09:49,949 --> 00:09:54,429 James Wong: investigating new substances that can be created using other alkaloids 160 00:09:54,449 --> 00:09:57,970 James Wong: within cinchona bark. And while science is opening more doors 161 00:09:57,970 --> 00:10:01,280 James Wong: to plant medicines every day, they are still a constant 162 00:10:01,280 --> 00:10:06,199 James Wong: source of novel, unexpected compounds. I chatted to Dr. Bente 163 00:10:06,199 --> 00:10:11,469 James Wong: Klitgaar, Senior Research Leader in Identification and Naming and Head 164 00:10:11,470 --> 00:10:15,050 James Wong: of the Americas Department at Kew. She's mostly based in 165 00:10:15,050 --> 00:10:19,470 James Wong: the Herbarium where seven million plant specimens are held. Her 166 00:10:19,470 --> 00:10:21,900 James Wong: team looks after the two million of them from the 167 00:10:21,900 --> 00:10:27,980 James Wong: Americas. My first visit to Kew's Herbarium was 15 years ago 168 00:10:27,980 --> 00:10:30,500 James Wong: now, and I was just starting on my master's. And 169 00:10:30,500 --> 00:10:33,010 James Wong: it's quite difficult to picture what seven million samples is 170 00:10:33,010 --> 00:10:34,750 James Wong: like. But to me, it was like going into a 171 00:10:34,750 --> 00:10:38,500 James Wong: scene from Harry Potter, just floor after floor in this 172 00:10:38,500 --> 00:10:42,280 James Wong: beautiful old Victorian building, of course, with some modern adjuncts 173 00:10:42,280 --> 00:10:46,110 James Wong: now. And a Herbarium is to an untrained eye, just 174 00:10:46,589 --> 00:10:48,891 James Wong: millions of pressed flower specimens. 175 00:10:48,891 --> 00:10:49,589 Dr. Bente Klitgaar: They are. 176 00:10:49,939 --> 00:10:52,240 James Wong: It's like some kind of someone's hobby just went really 177 00:10:52,240 --> 00:10:57,020 James Wong: out of control. Why is it important to have so 178 00:10:57,020 --> 00:10:59,710 James Wong: many just pieces of plant squished between paper? 179 00:11:00,620 --> 00:11:04,569 Dr. Bente Klitgaar: They are the ultimate evidence. Because we don't just have 180 00:11:04,569 --> 00:11:08,740 Dr. Bente Klitgaar: one of each plant species, we have about 80% of 181 00:11:08,740 --> 00:11:12,640 Dr. Bente Klitgaar: the biodiversity in terms of the generic level, which is 182 00:11:12,640 --> 00:11:16,890 Dr. Bente Klitgaar: a bit scientific, represented in Kew's Herbarium. So, Kew's Herbarium is one of 183 00:11:16,890 --> 00:11:22,309 Dr. Bente Klitgaar: the best global collections in the world. And as I said, we can use it for any type 184 00:11:22,309 --> 00:11:25,339 Dr. Bente Klitgaar: of research, because we don't have to have all one 185 00:11:25,339 --> 00:11:29,290 Dr. Bente Klitgaar: of each species, we have the whole distribution range. I have 186 00:11:29,290 --> 00:11:31,750 Dr. Bente Klitgaar: some plants that I have known ever since I started 187 00:11:31,750 --> 00:11:36,510 Dr. Bente Klitgaar: my career in botany. And these are the legume family that I have been 188 00:11:36,510 --> 00:11:39,420 Dr. Bente Klitgaar: specializing. I've been doing many things in my career, but 189 00:11:39,800 --> 00:11:43,199 Dr. Bente Klitgaar: the legume family has always been part, been my friend all 190 00:11:43,199 --> 00:11:43,869 Dr. Bente Klitgaar: the way along. 191 00:11:44,199 --> 00:11:46,780 James Wong: So peas and beans, the legume family. It's such a massive 192 00:11:46,780 --> 00:11:49,929 James Wong: family. And this includes everything from tiny little herbs in 193 00:11:49,929 --> 00:11:50,890 James Wong: the Arctic Tundra- 194 00:11:50,890 --> 00:11:50,970 Dr. Bente Klitgaar: Exactly, yes. 195 00:11:50,970 --> 00:11:53,589 James Wong: ... right up to giant Amazonian trees. 196 00:11:53,809 --> 00:11:57,210 Dr. Bente Klitgaar: Yes. Some of the biggest emergence in the Amazon are 197 00:11:57,309 --> 00:11:59,600 Dr. Bente Klitgaar: legumes as well. So I'm going to show you some of 198 00:12:00,000 --> 00:12:02,750 Dr. Bente Klitgaar: my very, very best friends and my first legume friend. 199 00:12:02,829 --> 00:12:07,089 Dr. Bente Klitgaar: It's a genus called Brownea. When I started working on 200 00:12:07,089 --> 00:12:10,650 Dr. Bente Klitgaar: this genus called Brownea, they're rainforest trees. They occur only 201 00:12:11,199 --> 00:12:13,840 Dr. Bente Klitgaar: in Northwestern, South America. And I can show you- 202 00:12:13,840 --> 00:12:14,449 James Wong: Wow, look at that. 203 00:12:16,179 --> 00:12:21,579 Dr. Bente Klitgaar: Yeah. Yeah. So, at Key, we are very, very lucky. 204 00:12:21,579 --> 00:12:25,179 Dr. Bente Klitgaar: There's one in the Palm house, which is Brownea Coccinia, 205 00:12:25,179 --> 00:12:29,929 Dr. Bente Klitgaar: and there's one at Princess or Wales Conservatory called Brownea grandiceps. 206 00:12:30,329 --> 00:12:34,459 Dr. Bente Klitgaar: So when I miss them, I can go into one 207 00:12:34,459 --> 00:12:37,449 Dr. Bente Klitgaar: of these green houses, and they flower as well, they're fantastic. They get up about a football size. 208 00:12:40,339 --> 00:12:42,970 James Wong: It looks like something straight out of the movie Avatar. 209 00:12:43,209 --> 00:12:46,640 James Wong: It's like a giant pompom flower with these really, really 210 00:12:46,640 --> 00:12:48,470 James Wong: long filaments that are coming out of it. 211 00:12:48,480 --> 00:12:48,500 Dr. Bente Klitgaar: Yeah. 212 00:12:48,689 --> 00:12:51,410 James Wong: Almost like you've got a big fistful of the showiest 213 00:12:51,410 --> 00:12:52,700 James Wong: rhododendron and stuck them all together- 214 00:12:52,700 --> 00:12:52,701 Dr. Bente Klitgaar: Exactly. 215 00:12:52,701 --> 00:12:55,170 James Wong: ... and just made them look even more exotic. 216 00:12:56,020 --> 00:12:59,349 Dr. Bente Klitgaar: As a young scientist, I decided to work on this 217 00:12:59,349 --> 00:13:04,209 Dr. Bente Klitgaar: group for my Master's thesis. So I went then and my task was 218 00:13:04,209 --> 00:13:08,870 Dr. Bente Klitgaar: to understand that the Brownea is species in Ecuador. That was one 219 00:13:08,870 --> 00:13:13,429 Dr. Bente Klitgaar: task, and the other task was then to understand how the Brownea species 220 00:13:14,130 --> 00:13:18,099 Dr. Bente Klitgaar: were used in Ecuador. And I wanted to write a book about 221 00:13:18,890 --> 00:13:23,620 Dr. Bente Klitgaar: children who live in the rainforest. So I actually got 222 00:13:23,620 --> 00:13:29,329 Dr. Bente Klitgaar: myself a deal with a publisher. And I went and visited 223 00:13:30,170 --> 00:13:33,900 Dr. Bente Klitgaar: some indigenous communities in the Amazon at the same time. 224 00:13:34,280 --> 00:13:35,310 Dr. Bente Klitgaar: So I realized- 225 00:13:35,550 --> 00:13:37,750 James Wong: Talk about multitasking there. Is there anything you can't do? 226 00:13:41,309 --> 00:13:45,949 Dr. Bente Klitgaar: I try and spoil it. But some indigenous tribes in 227 00:13:45,949 --> 00:13:56,410 Dr. Bente Klitgaar: Northern Ecuador, they actually use one Brownea, a species of Brownea, grandiceps, as a contraceptive. And 228 00:13:56,410 --> 00:14:01,849 Dr. Bente Klitgaar: I did lots of literature work. And I realized that 229 00:14:01,849 --> 00:14:07,939 Dr. Bente Klitgaar: actually several species had been used by other indigenous tribes 230 00:14:07,939 --> 00:14:13,079 Dr. Bente Klitgaar: in Colombia, in Venezuela, and in Ghana. So it's not, 231 00:14:13,079 --> 00:14:16,239 Dr. Bente Klitgaar: it wasn't an isolated phenomenon. None of the families have 232 00:14:16,240 --> 00:14:20,240 Dr. Bente Klitgaar: more than four children. The legume family members of the family, or members of the 233 00:14:20,240 --> 00:14:23,210 Dr. Bente Klitgaar: legume family, it's been shown that they are the only 234 00:14:23,210 --> 00:14:30,290 Dr. Bente Klitgaar: family to contain a group of chemicals called flavonoids, or 235 00:14:30,590 --> 00:14:34,350 Dr. Bente Klitgaar: isoflavonoids. And these flavonoids or isoflavonoid, they've been found in a species of clover called trifolium 236 00:14:34,350 --> 00:14:38,509 Dr. Bente Klitgaar: subterraneum. They have this estrogenic effect. 237 00:14:40,060 --> 00:14:43,950 James Wong: Having clues like this from naturally occurring compounds can get 238 00:14:43,950 --> 00:14:48,460 James Wong: scientists really excited, as it offers possible clues for building 239 00:14:48,460 --> 00:14:53,170 James Wong: affordable, safe, and sustainable alternatives for human use in a 240 00:14:53,170 --> 00:14:57,359 James Wong: lab. Bente explained why research like hers is so vital 241 00:14:57,440 --> 00:14:58,100 James Wong: in the first place. 242 00:14:59,880 --> 00:15:02,780 Dr. Bente Klitgaar: It has proved my viable. It has proved viable that you 243 00:15:02,780 --> 00:15:06,850 Dr. Bente Klitgaar: found one compound in one plant that is protective against 244 00:15:06,850 --> 00:15:09,280 Dr. Bente Klitgaar: cancer. And you can start to synthesize that part, but 245 00:15:09,520 --> 00:15:11,790 Dr. Bente Klitgaar: you wouldn't have found that compound had you not found 246 00:15:11,790 --> 00:15:12,530 Dr. Bente Klitgaar: it in a plant first. 247 00:15:12,780 --> 00:15:15,620 James Wong: And that covers everything from some of the most important 248 00:15:15,620 --> 00:15:17,080 James Wong: cancer drugs used in conventional medicine- 249 00:15:17,080 --> 00:15:17,720 Dr. Bente Klitgaar: Yeah, yeah. 250 00:15:17,720 --> 00:15:19,670 James Wong: ... to the leading treatment for malaria. 251 00:15:20,380 --> 00:15:20,980 Dr. Bente Klitgaar: Exactly. Exactly. 252 00:15:21,390 --> 00:15:23,490 James Wong: So want to know is, did you ever write the 253 00:15:23,490 --> 00:15:24,479 James Wong: children's book? 254 00:15:28,740 --> 00:15:31,570 Dr. Bente Klitgaar: Unfortunately, I got very sidetracked by the science. 255 00:15:32,490 --> 00:15:35,660 James Wong: Thanks for listening to Unearthed. I'll be back again in 256 00:15:35,660 --> 00:15:38,180 James Wong: just a minute. But first here's a message from our 257 00:15:38,180 --> 00:15:39,540 James Wong: supporter, Kim Catrall. 258 00:15:41,720 --> 00:15:46,150 Kim Catrall: As a charity, the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew is facing 259 00:15:46,150 --> 00:15:50,700 Kim Catrall: a severe funding crisis right now. The impact of Coronavirus 260 00:15:50,700 --> 00:15:55,630 Kim Catrall: has created a financial shortfall of 15 million pounds. This 261 00:15:55,630 --> 00:15:58,810 Kim Catrall: money is vital for the upkeep of these beautiful botanic 262 00:15:58,810 --> 00:16:04,820 Kim Catrall: gardens and crucial to continuing its global conservation work. Plants 263 00:16:04,820 --> 00:16:07,900 Kim Catrall: and fungi hold many of the answers to the world's 264 00:16:07,900 --> 00:16:13,440 Kim Catrall: biggest challenges, such as climate change, food security, and biodiversity 265 00:16:13,440 --> 00:16:17,220 Kim Catrall: loss. And Kew needs to play a role in furthering 266 00:16:17,220 --> 00:16:22,210 Kim Catrall: the science and identifying desperately needed solutions. If there's one 267 00:16:22,210 --> 00:16:25,609 Kim Catrall: positive thing that could come out of this pandemic, it 268 00:16:25,609 --> 00:16:28,479 Kim Catrall: will be to encourage each and every one of us 269 00:16:28,479 --> 00:16:32,960 Kim Catrall: to look afresh and with urgency at these global challenges. 270 00:16:33,410 --> 00:16:37,100 Kim Catrall: If you are enjoying this podcast, and feel inspired by 271 00:16:37,100 --> 00:16:40,340 Kim Catrall: the work that Kew does, please go to Kew. org 272 00:16:40,979 --> 00:16:45,300 Kim Catrall: to donate today, to help not only protect Kew, but 273 00:16:45,300 --> 00:16:48,070 Kim Catrall: also preserve the future of our planet. 274 00:16:49,440 --> 00:16:53,030 James Wong: A really exciting area of Kew's modern day remit, lies 275 00:16:53,030 --> 00:16:56,660 James Wong: in the evaluation of plants. And this can mean traveling 276 00:16:56,660 --> 00:17:00,370 James Wong: far and wide to learn about new species, as well 277 00:17:00,370 --> 00:17:02,390 James Wong: as how they're being used by local people. 278 00:17:03,780 --> 00:17:08,949 Tom Prescott: I'm Tom Prescott, and my job title is Evaluation of 279 00:17:08,950 --> 00:17:16,350 Tom Prescott: Plant Uses. I'm mainly focused on looking for potential medicines 280 00:17:16,350 --> 00:17:20,749 Tom Prescott: from plants and fungi. So I first fell in love 281 00:17:20,750 --> 00:17:24,300 Tom Prescott: with Papua New Guinea, kind of, I was working in 282 00:17:24,300 --> 00:17:26,970 Tom Prescott: Australia and I decided to kind of go up there 283 00:17:27,340 --> 00:17:30,639 Tom Prescott: and have a brief look. And then later on, when 284 00:17:30,639 --> 00:17:33,259 Tom Prescott: I managed to start to get field work funding from 285 00:17:33,320 --> 00:17:35,409 Tom Prescott: when I was an undergraduate, I started to go there. 286 00:17:36,080 --> 00:17:40,220 Tom Prescott: People walk around barefoot and you have to. I'm quite 287 00:17:40,220 --> 00:17:42,270 Tom Prescott: convinced of the idea actually, that if you live in 288 00:17:42,270 --> 00:17:46,859 Tom Prescott: the rainforest permanently shoes are of very little value to you. And 289 00:17:46,859 --> 00:17:49,979 Tom Prescott: the reason is that, just going about your day to 290 00:17:49,980 --> 00:17:54,840 Tom Prescott: day business, walking across rainforest terrain, you need that sort 291 00:17:54,840 --> 00:17:58,669 Tom Prescott: of tactile feedback from your feet. So for example, when 292 00:17:59,040 --> 00:18:01,509 Tom Prescott: you're walking along, there's lots of deep ravines where the 293 00:18:01,510 --> 00:18:05,300 Tom Prescott: little rivers at the bottom and you walk over essentially 294 00:18:05,300 --> 00:18:08,830 Tom Prescott: tree trunks, from trees that have fallen over that act 295 00:18:08,830 --> 00:18:12,830 Tom Prescott: like a bridge to walk across. But the downside is 296 00:18:12,889 --> 00:18:15,310 Tom Prescott: if you get kind of scratched by something on your 297 00:18:15,310 --> 00:18:19,330 Tom Prescott: ankle, in a rainforest environment, it gets infected really quickly. 298 00:18:20,470 --> 00:18:25,200 James Wong: After experiencing an infection himself, Tom became deeply interested in 299 00:18:25,200 --> 00:18:28,750 James Wong: how local plants were being used to treat them. Fortunately, 300 00:18:28,750 --> 00:18:33,310 James Wong: the antibacterial, or antimicrobial properties of some plants are there 301 00:18:33,310 --> 00:18:36,149 James Wong: to help tackle infections before they get serious. 302 00:18:36,230 --> 00:18:39,369 Tom Prescott: My interest is the plant medicines that are used to 303 00:18:39,369 --> 00:18:44,510 Tom Prescott: treat these cutaneous ulcers, so skin ulcers, which are really 304 00:18:44,510 --> 00:18:48,899 Tom Prescott: common there. They're quite debilitating, and because they go deep 305 00:18:48,899 --> 00:18:52,159 Tom Prescott: into the tissue, they're really, really painful. There's a kind 306 00:18:52,159 --> 00:18:54,700 Tom Prescott: of more serious side to it, which is that they 307 00:18:55,020 --> 00:18:59,899 Tom Prescott: act as a possible gateway for secondary infections. So there's 308 00:18:59,899 --> 00:19:05,580 Tom Prescott: another kind of bacterial infection caused by Treponema bacteria. And 309 00:19:05,649 --> 00:19:08,649 Tom Prescott: it's sort of believed or theorized to be the case 310 00:19:08,649 --> 00:19:11,070 Tom Prescott: that once you have one of these little skin ulcers, 311 00:19:11,070 --> 00:19:15,159 Tom Prescott: that all the kids have gotten these villages, the Treponema 312 00:19:15,159 --> 00:19:19,590 Tom Prescott: bacteria can then get into your body. And Treponema causes 313 00:19:19,810 --> 00:19:23,740 Tom Prescott: something called Yaws Disease. And that that can have really 314 00:19:23,970 --> 00:19:28,270 Tom Prescott: horrific consequences. It's not uncommon for plants to produce anti- 315 00:19:28,270 --> 00:19:34,129 Tom Prescott: microbial substances. And then people who live in rainforests have 316 00:19:34,340 --> 00:19:38,490 Tom Prescott: adapted to their environment, by learning which plants to use, 317 00:19:38,490 --> 00:19:42,740 Tom Prescott: to put onto these infected skin ulcers. Eighty percent of 318 00:19:42,770 --> 00:19:45,590 Tom Prescott: people in Papua New Guinea live in rural areas, and 319 00:19:45,590 --> 00:19:48,129 Tom Prescott: when we say rural, we don't really mean people driving 320 00:19:48,129 --> 00:19:51,429 Tom Prescott: around in Land Rovers in Devon. We mean people living 321 00:19:51,429 --> 00:19:55,560 Tom Prescott: right out in really hard to access areas. The one 322 00:19:55,560 --> 00:20:00,060 Tom Prescott: thing that a plant medicine has that can really win 323 00:20:00,109 --> 00:20:03,919 Tom Prescott: over a conventional pharmaceutical treatment. And the one thing that 324 00:20:03,919 --> 00:20:07,800 Tom Prescott: has that will basically beat the other treatment hands down 325 00:20:07,800 --> 00:20:11,700 Tom Prescott: every time, is it exists in the field, and it's 326 00:20:11,700 --> 00:20:12,699 Tom Prescott: constantly there. 327 00:20:13,700 --> 00:20:17,429 James Wong: Tom's fascination with local medicines available in the Papua New 328 00:20:17,429 --> 00:20:21,289 James Wong: Guinea rainforest led him to run trials, comparing how these anti- 329 00:20:21,290 --> 00:20:24,260 James Wong: microbial plant treatments with the sorts of things you can 330 00:20:24,270 --> 00:20:26,940 James Wong: buy over the counter in the UK. We had a 331 00:20:26,940 --> 00:20:30,669 James Wong: serious geek out about this. This is knowledge that people 332 00:20:30,669 --> 00:20:33,859 James Wong: in societies all over the world have potentially had for 333 00:20:33,859 --> 00:20:38,780 James Wong: decades, 100s, maybe even 1000s of years. But it's only 334 00:20:38,780 --> 00:20:44,090 James Wong: being reported scientifically now. And skin ulcers are something that 335 00:20:44,090 --> 00:20:48,270 James Wong: affects millions of people worldwide. So if there's an ability 336 00:20:48,270 --> 00:20:51,440 James Wong: to find a treatment for them, that is somehow more 337 00:20:51,440 --> 00:20:56,030 James Wong: effective, or either as effective as conventional therapies, then there's 338 00:20:56,030 --> 00:21:00,479 James Wong: some real massive potential benefit to humanity here. What have 339 00:21:00,480 --> 00:21:01,210 James Wong: we found so far? 340 00:21:01,389 --> 00:21:05,540 Tom Prescott: The most promising plant that we've been looking at is something 341 00:21:05,540 --> 00:21:10,109 Tom Prescott: called Ficus septica, which is a species of tropical fig. 342 00:21:10,619 --> 00:21:13,879 Tom Prescott: And also a crucial point here is that we're looking 343 00:21:13,879 --> 00:21:17,760 Tom Prescott: for the most common anti- microbial plant that we can 344 00:21:17,760 --> 00:21:21,409 Tom Prescott: find. The rationale is that we want to find clinical 345 00:21:21,409 --> 00:21:25,119 Tom Prescott: evidence to support the use of a traditional medicine, but 346 00:21:25,119 --> 00:21:28,909 Tom Prescott: the traditional medicine should be so common that anybody in 347 00:21:28,909 --> 00:21:33,100 Tom Prescott: any village, virtually in lowland Papua New Guinea, you could just walk 348 00:21:33,419 --> 00:21:37,409 Tom Prescott: 50 yards and find this plant, and use it anytime 349 00:21:37,409 --> 00:21:42,840 Tom Prescott: they want to. Ficus septica has really good antibacterial activity. 350 00:21:43,000 --> 00:21:45,929 Tom Prescott: It produces lots and lots of little figs, sort of 351 00:21:45,929 --> 00:21:48,440 Tom Prescott: like berry like things. And if you walk up to 352 00:21:48,929 --> 00:21:51,250 Tom Prescott: Ficus septica, which is a small tree, and you can 353 00:21:51,250 --> 00:21:55,159 Tom Prescott: find it kind of growing pretty much anywhere in lowland 354 00:21:55,159 --> 00:21:57,750 Tom Prescott: Papua New Guinea, you pull off one of these little 355 00:21:57,750 --> 00:22:01,800 Tom Prescott: fruit like things, and then this really beautiful white sap 356 00:22:01,800 --> 00:22:04,780 Tom Prescott: starts dripping out of the end of the berry. And 357 00:22:04,780 --> 00:22:09,100 Tom Prescott: the sap contains all these anti- microbial compounds. And what 358 00:22:09,100 --> 00:22:12,929 Tom Prescott: you notice as it produces a slight sort of reddening around 359 00:22:12,939 --> 00:22:15,609 Tom Prescott: where the sap has been, nothing too extreme, but as 360 00:22:15,609 --> 00:22:18,970 Tom Prescott: if there's a little kind of immune response coming back, 361 00:22:19,040 --> 00:22:22,159 Tom Prescott: which is quite interesting. But the other thing that the 362 00:22:22,159 --> 00:22:25,990 Tom Prescott: plant sap does that we've seen really clearly is it 363 00:22:25,990 --> 00:22:29,300 Tom Prescott: forms a kind of flexible plastic kind of covering over 364 00:22:29,300 --> 00:22:32,960 Tom Prescott: the wound. There are flies that are attracted to these 365 00:22:32,960 --> 00:22:37,359 Tom Prescott: wounds and they're believed to be transmitting bacteria. And I've 366 00:22:37,359 --> 00:22:40,060 Tom Prescott: noticed this when I first had one of these infected 367 00:22:40,060 --> 00:22:42,540 Tom Prescott: wounds, they make contact with the sap, it's almost like 368 00:22:42,540 --> 00:22:45,169 Tom Prescott: they get a physical shock and they jump straight back, 369 00:22:45,169 --> 00:22:47,450 Tom Prescott: and they won't go within a few millimeters of it. 370 00:22:49,230 --> 00:22:52,239 James Wong: So you have the anti- microbial response, which gets rid 371 00:22:52,240 --> 00:22:56,340 James Wong: of the infection, potentially it reduces your body's reaction to 372 00:22:56,340 --> 00:22:59,470 James Wong: that, the inflammation, which can cause a lot of pain. 373 00:22:59,840 --> 00:23:04,550 James Wong: It then seals the wound and also prevents secondary infection 374 00:23:04,550 --> 00:23:08,189 James Wong: from insects. That's nuts, like four different things all in 375 00:23:08,189 --> 00:23:08,689 James Wong: one plant. 376 00:23:08,950 --> 00:23:12,389 Tom Prescott: Yeah. I was pretty surprised to see all of this. 377 00:23:12,600 --> 00:23:14,950 Tom Prescott: I think there is a lot more out there in the rain 378 00:23:14,950 --> 00:23:17,169 Tom Prescott: forest that's waiting to be discovered. 379 00:23:19,500 --> 00:23:21,999 James Wong: It's so exciting to me to hear how the botanical 380 00:23:22,000 --> 00:23:26,609 James Wong: world is still offering new scientific surprises, and helping us 381 00:23:26,609 --> 00:23:30,320 James Wong: find solutions to old problems as we share knowledge around 382 00:23:30,320 --> 00:23:34,469 James Wong: the world. It makes you wonder what other undocumented answers 383 00:23:34,530 --> 00:23:37,959 James Wong: lie within the realms of our forests, hiding in plain 384 00:23:37,960 --> 00:23:44,700 James Wong: sight. From rainforest now to a forest of information. In 385 00:23:44,700 --> 00:23:48,590 James Wong: addition to Kew's living collections of medicinal plants, the economic 386 00:23:48,590 --> 00:23:54,270 James Wong: botany collection, or ECB, holds around 25, 000 items of medicinal plant 387 00:23:54,270 --> 00:23:59,490 James Wong: materials, including the Royal Pharmaceutical Society's collection of medicines, as 388 00:23:59,490 --> 00:24:03,330 James Wong: well as Chinese traditional medicines. I found out how we're 389 00:24:03,330 --> 00:24:06,850 James Wong: working with plants to make medicines today with Dr. Melanie- 390 00:24:06,850 --> 00:24:07,499 James Wong: Jayne Howes. 391 00:24:10,580 --> 00:24:14,010 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: So my name is Melanie Howes. So I lead research 392 00:24:14,560 --> 00:24:19,909 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: in phytochemistry and pharmacognosy at Kew. So much of my 393 00:24:20,210 --> 00:24:25,340 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: research currently involves investigating the chemistry of plants, but especially 394 00:24:25,340 --> 00:24:29,340 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: to understand their uses as medicines and also for our 395 00:24:29,350 --> 00:24:31,020 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: health, such as in our diets. 396 00:24:31,230 --> 00:24:34,340 James Wong: It's very easy to assume that the uses of plants in 397 00:24:34,340 --> 00:24:37,919 James Wong: medicine is a historical anecdote. They were very interesting in 398 00:24:37,919 --> 00:24:43,639 James Wong: the past, in the Roman empire, but in modern pharmacology, 399 00:24:43,639 --> 00:24:46,790 James Wong: they're not used to the same extent. How accurate would 400 00:24:47,080 --> 00:24:48,929 James Wong: you think that common belief would be? 401 00:24:48,980 --> 00:24:53,560 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: We have so many examples of pharmaceuticals, which were originally 402 00:24:53,780 --> 00:24:57,270 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: discovered from plants. So some of these are the original 403 00:24:57,270 --> 00:25:00,729 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: chemical that was derived from the plant itself. Some of 404 00:25:00,730 --> 00:25:04,249 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: them are derivatives. And some of them, we use the 405 00:25:04,250 --> 00:25:07,669 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: plant chemical to inspire us, to design a brand new 406 00:25:07,669 --> 00:25:11,740 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: medicine. And we have many of these examples available in 407 00:25:11,740 --> 00:25:16,629 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: clinical use currently. So for diseases such as dementia, cancer, 408 00:25:16,629 --> 00:25:22,369 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: heart disease, malaria, and diabetes, we have many pharmaceuticals that 409 00:25:22,369 --> 00:25:26,040 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: were originally inspired or provided by plants. 410 00:25:26,409 --> 00:25:28,739 James Wong: So we're not talking about things that are limited to 411 00:25:28,909 --> 00:25:32,830 James Wong: herbal medicines that you might buy in a alternative remedy 412 00:25:32,830 --> 00:25:35,070 James Wong: shop. We're talking about things that you'd get in a 413 00:25:35,070 --> 00:25:38,010 James Wong: regular pharmacy that would be prescribed on the NHS, for example. 414 00:25:38,389 --> 00:25:43,940 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: Precisely. I mean, up until around sort of the early 19th century, 415 00:25:44,659 --> 00:25:48,280 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: most people were using plants in the form of herbal 416 00:25:48,280 --> 00:25:52,709 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: medicines. So these contain mixtures of many different plant compounds. 417 00:25:53,129 --> 00:25:56,539 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: But then in the early 19th century, morphine was first 418 00:25:56,540 --> 00:26:01,739 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: isolated from the opium poppy. And this completely revolutionized how 419 00:26:01,960 --> 00:26:06,209 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: people used plants as medicine. Because for the first time, 420 00:26:06,790 --> 00:26:11,290 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: we were, or humans were, isolating single chemicals from plants 421 00:26:11,350 --> 00:26:14,570 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: and then developing these as a medicine. So this is 422 00:26:14,570 --> 00:26:17,809 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: really the concept of the single active ingredient or the 423 00:26:17,810 --> 00:26:22,080 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: pharmaceutical that we are familiar with in modern medicine today, 424 00:26:22,419 --> 00:26:25,770 James Wong: Opium and its derivatives are still used in modern medicine. 425 00:26:26,220 --> 00:26:30,179 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: Absolutely. I mean, opium is a source of not only 426 00:26:30,179 --> 00:26:34,399 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: morphine, but another analgesic, which was also discovered in the 427 00:26:34,399 --> 00:26:37,869 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: 1800s, which is codeine. And both of these are currently 428 00:26:37,869 --> 00:26:41,160 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: in clinical use. And we still rely on the plant 429 00:26:41,199 --> 00:26:47,060 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: to obtain these alkaloids. Because as humans, we can't synthesize 430 00:26:47,060 --> 00:26:51,419 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: them easily from scratch in the laboratory. But morphine isn't 431 00:26:51,419 --> 00:26:55,859 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: just used itself as an analgesic. It's actually inspired the 432 00:26:55,859 --> 00:27:00,410 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: development of many other medicines. So this includes other analgesic 433 00:27:00,439 --> 00:27:03,980 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: medicines to help with pain, but also for other types 434 00:27:03,980 --> 00:27:07,369 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: of drugs, which are used for conditions such as coughs, 435 00:27:07,720 --> 00:27:13,169 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: addiction, and also Parkinson's disease. But opium also contains a 436 00:27:13,169 --> 00:27:18,560 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: completely different type of alkaloid chemical called Papaverine. Now this 437 00:27:18,560 --> 00:27:22,580 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: has very different properties. So one of its effects is 438 00:27:22,580 --> 00:27:27,639 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: that it can dilate blood vessels. So this compound was 439 00:27:27,639 --> 00:27:31,759 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: used to inspire the design of a drug called Verapamil, 440 00:27:32,030 --> 00:27:35,189 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: which is now in clinical use for certain heart conditions. 441 00:27:35,550 --> 00:27:39,570 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: So the opium poppy has been very important in discovering 442 00:27:39,570 --> 00:27:43,879 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: medicines, which we still find useful today. Plants are actually 443 00:27:43,879 --> 00:27:48,080 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: brilliant chemists. The story of aspirin is actually a very 444 00:27:48,119 --> 00:27:54,530 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: interesting story as a medicine, because it's discovery began in 445 00:27:54,550 --> 00:27:58,409 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: the mid 1700s when the bark of the willow tree 446 00:27:58,409 --> 00:28:01,550 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: was tested in people, and it seemed to be useful 447 00:28:01,550 --> 00:28:06,090 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: to reduce fevers. But it wasn't until the next century 448 00:28:06,090 --> 00:28:10,040 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: that it was discovered that the willow bark contains a 449 00:28:10,040 --> 00:28:15,629 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: certain type of chemicals called salicylates. And these were found 450 00:28:15,629 --> 00:28:19,230 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: to be the active ingredients of the willow bark. And 451 00:28:19,230 --> 00:28:23,199 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: they were the inspiration for the developments of the drug 452 00:28:23,240 --> 00:28:28,209 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: aspirin. But then it wasn't for another 80 years or 453 00:28:28,210 --> 00:28:33,419 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: more, that scientists actually uncovered its mode of action. So 454 00:28:33,480 --> 00:28:37,750 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: aspirin in the 1970s was found to inhibit the synthesis 455 00:28:37,750 --> 00:28:43,120 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: of some inflammatory substances in the body called prostaglandins. But 456 00:28:43,120 --> 00:28:47,019 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: its story doesn't end there. So even much later still, 457 00:28:47,290 --> 00:28:50,260 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: aspirin was found to have another completely new role in 458 00:28:50,260 --> 00:28:54,590 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: medicine. It was found to inhibit the aggregation of platelets 459 00:28:54,640 --> 00:28:59,500 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: in the blood. So as a result, aspirin became used 460 00:28:59,550 --> 00:29:03,000 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: more widely as a medicine to help reduce the risk 461 00:29:03,020 --> 00:29:06,080 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: of blood clots in people that could be at risk 462 00:29:06,080 --> 00:29:11,100 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: of certain heart conditions. So from the 1700s to the 1990s, we've 463 00:29:11,100 --> 00:29:15,410 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: still been making discoveries about a widely used drug, originally 464 00:29:15,770 --> 00:29:16,969 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: inspired by a plant. 465 00:29:17,459 --> 00:29:20,870 James Wong: So it isn't just about harnessing a chemical that instantly has 466 00:29:20,870 --> 00:29:23,579 James Wong: a therapeutic effect. It can be sometimes just using it as a 467 00:29:23,580 --> 00:29:27,790 James Wong: roadmap for inspiration. But the compounds found in plants can 468 00:29:27,790 --> 00:29:31,820 James Wong: be useful as an ingredient in which to create drugs after. 469 00:29:32,390 --> 00:29:35,410 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: Absolutely. Yeah. Much of the research we've been doing in 470 00:29:35,410 --> 00:29:38,790 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: recent years is looking at members of the mint family, 471 00:29:39,150 --> 00:29:43,810 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: so the lamiaceae. So these are common herbs, which are 472 00:29:43,810 --> 00:29:46,840 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: often used as part of our diet for flavoring food, 473 00:29:46,910 --> 00:29:51,870 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: such as sage, rosemary, lemon balm, and mint. And we've 474 00:29:51,870 --> 00:29:57,180 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: found some very interesting properties associated with these. We're really 475 00:29:57,180 --> 00:30:01,759 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: scrutinizing their chemistry to find out which specific chemicals occur 476 00:30:01,760 --> 00:30:04,480 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: in them and how they might have potential effects that 477 00:30:04,480 --> 00:30:07,390 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: could be useful to our health. Particularly, if used as 478 00:30:07,390 --> 00:30:08,320 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: part of our diet. 479 00:30:08,410 --> 00:30:12,350 James Wong: It's thought that up to 50% of medicinal plant species 480 00:30:12,540 --> 00:30:14,499 James Wong: will be extinct by the end of the century. 481 00:30:14,890 --> 00:30:20,760 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: So it's absolutely critical that we can protect biodiversity. There 482 00:30:20,760 --> 00:30:24,930 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: is now a shift to looking at plants, to use 483 00:30:24,930 --> 00:30:28,240 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: them to inspire us, to discover new medicines rather than 484 00:30:28,240 --> 00:30:29,160 Dr. Melanie-Jayne Howes: exploit them. 485 00:30:30,520 --> 00:30:33,830 James Wong: It's so easy to dismiss plant- based medicines as merely 486 00:30:33,830 --> 00:30:39,940 James Wong: interesting historical anecdotes, a relic from another time. Yet 80% 487 00:30:39,940 --> 00:30:43,440 James Wong: of the human population still relies on compounds found in 488 00:30:43,440 --> 00:30:47,260 James Wong: plants as their primary form of healthcare. With at least 489 00:30:47,260 --> 00:30:50,670 James Wong: half of all of the most commonly prescribed pharmaceuticals being 490 00:30:50,720 --> 00:30:54,960 James Wong: originally derived from natural sources, unbeknownst to us, this includes 491 00:30:55,000 --> 00:30:57,750 James Wong: a large chunk of the stuff in our own medicine 492 00:30:57,750 --> 00:31:03,980 James Wong: cabinets. From local indigenous populations to international world- shaping cures, 493 00:31:04,360 --> 00:31:07,640 James Wong: plants have been essential to human health since the dawn 494 00:31:07,640 --> 00:31:12,270 James Wong: of humanity. And the reality is even today, we're still 495 00:31:12,270 --> 00:31:16,150 James Wong: just beginning to scratch the surface of their potential. Thanks 496 00:31:16,150 --> 00:31:20,009 James Wong: to breakthroughs in modern technology, we're able to travel further 497 00:31:20,340 --> 00:31:23,529 James Wong: and learn more about how we can demystify these properties 498 00:31:23,740 --> 00:31:26,840 James Wong: to make better lives for all. And none of this 499 00:31:26,840 --> 00:31:29,900 James Wong: would have been possible without working alongside the people who 500 00:31:29,900 --> 00:31:33,840 James Wong: live near and use those plants, being so generous with 501 00:31:33,840 --> 00:31:38,250 James Wong: their knowledge. These communities and the information they share, can 502 00:31:38,250 --> 00:31:44,570 James Wong: be absolutely vital to scientific discovery. Understanding the potential applications 503 00:31:44,570 --> 00:31:47,220 James Wong: of plants from people who've been using them for 100s, 504 00:31:47,390 --> 00:31:51,340 James Wong: if not 1000s of years has repeatedly proven to lead 505 00:31:51,340 --> 00:31:55,100 James Wong: to game changing medical discoveries. And there is so much 506 00:31:55,100 --> 00:31:58,540 James Wong: more to learn. To me, it's quite incredible to think 507 00:31:58,719 --> 00:32:00,890 James Wong: how much of our learning in this area has taken 508 00:32:00,890 --> 00:32:04,069 James Wong: place in the last few hundred years, a blink in 509 00:32:04,070 --> 00:32:07,090 James Wong: the eye, in the history of our species, making use 510 00:32:07,090 --> 00:32:10,820 James Wong: of the collection, knowledge and tools that we expand upon 511 00:32:10,820 --> 00:32:14,630 James Wong: every day. Now that this information is more available than 512 00:32:14,630 --> 00:32:18,090 James Wong: ever, our next challenge is how to create a sustainable 513 00:32:18,090 --> 00:32:23,420 James Wong: and respectful relationship between biodiversity and human progress to future 514 00:32:23,420 --> 00:32:27,810 James Wong: proof our planet for generations to come. The journey really 515 00:32:27,880 --> 00:32:35,010 James Wong: has only just begun. Next time on Unearthed from Kew. 516 00:32:35,719 --> 00:32:39,180 Speaker 7: These leaf cutting ants, it'll make them climb towards the 517 00:32:39,180 --> 00:32:42,660 Speaker 7: light whilst the fungus finishes off the insides. And then 518 00:32:42,670 --> 00:32:46,300 Speaker 7: once it's finished eating it, it bursts out and produces 519 00:32:46,300 --> 00:32:49,840 Speaker 7: this little fruiting body. It's drawn out and horrible. 520 00:32:50,900 --> 00:32:54,560 James Wong: When did you last come in contact with mold, fungus, 521 00:32:54,640 --> 00:32:58,550 James Wong: and the like? Chances are you're doing it right now. 522 00:32:58,860 --> 00:33:01,540 James Wong: And your life's a lot better, thanks to this remarkable 523 00:33:01,540 --> 00:33:05,490 James Wong: kingdom. Next time I'll be delving into the forgotten world 524 00:33:05,560 --> 00:33:09,420 James Wong: of fungi, and finding out how little we still know 525 00:33:09,610 --> 00:33:13,250 James Wong: about one of the most important and mysterious elements of 526 00:33:13,250 --> 00:33:16,780 James Wong: life on earth. Plus, I'll hear about the surprising links 527 00:33:16,780 --> 00:33:19,680 James Wong: between psychedelic mushrooms and our mental health. 528 00:33:20,280 --> 00:33:24,700 Speaker 8: About 15 years ago, we decided it was time to 529 00:33:24,700 --> 00:33:30,050 Speaker 8: explore the brain science of magic mushrooms. And I think 530 00:33:30,050 --> 00:33:32,700 Speaker 8: my claim to fame that I've probably given more different 531 00:33:32,700 --> 00:33:36,620 Speaker 8: kinds of drugs to human beings than anyone alive, but 532 00:33:36,670 --> 00:33:38,340 Speaker 8: the good news is they're all still alive too. 533 00:33:39,100 --> 00:33:41,380 James Wong: Make sure you don't miss it by subscribing on your 534 00:33:41,380 --> 00:33:45,160 James Wong: podcast app now. You can share this episode with a hashtag # 535 00:33:45,170 --> 00:33:49,510 James Wong: KewUnearthed and follow us at Kew Gardens on social media. 536 00:33:49,900 --> 00:33:54,779 James Wong: Join in the conversation with the hashtag # KewUnearthed. I am 537 00:33:54,780 --> 00:33:56,500 James Wong: James Wong. Thanks for listening.