A group of Scientists from
France, Cameroon and Switzerland has discovered that the root of African Plant-
the Pincushion tree (Nauclea latifolia) produce large quantities
of Pain-killing substances. An even more surprising finding from the analysis
was that the molecule is identical to Tramadol, a pharmaceutical ingredient
manufactured synthetically and used as analgesic all over the world. According
to the scientists, this is the first time that a synthetic medicine made by the
pharmaceutical industry has been found in such high concentrations in a natural
source.
Nauclea latifolia is a small shrub found all over
sub-Saharan Africa and used in traditional medicine, especially in Cameroon, to
treat epilepsy, malaria and fever.
The
Scientists collected extracts from Nauclea latifolia, separated
compounds into groups on the basis of their mass and chemical properties, and
then tested each group in mice for its ability to relieve pain. The team found
an oily yellow compound in the most potent group and determined its chemical
structure to be that of Tramadol, which has been sold as a synthetic analgesic
since the 1970s. The compound was detected only in the plant’s roots — the same
parts used in traditional remedies to treat pain. The researchers believe that
this is the first time a widely prescribed synthetic drug has been found in a
plant at clinically relevant concentrations.
To confirm their findings, the
researchers used different methods to test the authenticity of the natural
origin. “All findings concur and confirm the existence of Tramadol in the root
bark of
Nauclea latifolia. In contrast, no trace of the molecule could
be detected in the upper parts of the plant (leaves, branches)”, explained
Michel De Waard, a french scientist, who is also director of research at
INSERM. In order to exclude any unintentional contamination of the samples with
synthetic tramadol, the scientists took samples from inside the same roots, and
could also confirm that the molecule existed there.
In addition to the existence of
this – probably unprecedented – discovery of a naturally occurring painkiller
that could replace a synthetically produced medicine, the discovery also opens
up access to cheap treatment based on traditional medicine for the local
population in sub-Saharan Africa where the pincushion tree is indigenous. The
next step planned by the scientists is to examine the some ten different
varieties of Nauclea latifolia to identify which varieties also
contain Tramadol.
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