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Samoan Plant Excites Researchers

A traditional Samoan healing plant could produce a breakthrough cure for AIDS and cancer.

American researchers are so excited about the plant they have signed an agreement to pay royalties to Samoa for any drugs developed from it.

The promising lifeline grows deep in the heart of Samoa and the mamala plant is about to take on killer diseases.

“It’s good for the stomach and also for cancer,” traditional healer Lemau Seumanutafa says.

“If prostratin proves to be useful in the treatment of latent HIV then it’s going to be really significant…there’s the possibility of wiping out all the virus in the patient at one time,” says Dr James Kirby.

The research is so promising California university Berkeley has signed a deal with the Samoan government that ensures that if a drug is produced from the plant the country will get 20% of the profits.

Associate Commerce Minister Joe Keil says the benefits will not just be for those who manufacture the cure but also the people of Samoa.

The village of Falealupo where mamala hails from is already reaping the benefits. The villagers first taught American botanist Paul Cox about the plant and in return he has set up a non profit organisation to help the village that might end up helping the world.

The Americans have given Falealupo more than $US400,000 and the village has spent some of it on a rainforest canopy which is a popular tourist attraction.

The Samoan government has high hopes for the potential money earner. It plans to set up a nursery to grow the right variety of mamala so its can be given out to farmers to grow commercially.

While an anti-AIDS drug may be some way off, its raw form continues to be used as it has for centuries.

“There is some people from overseas, New Zealand, they came here for the mamala to cure their sickness,” says Seumanutafa.


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