HerbResearch

Currently two medicinal plants with a long tradition of use conquer the Western markets: Saffron, the stigmates of Crocus sativus, and Hoodia sp., a South African cactus-like Asclepiadaceae. Saffron was highly estimated by Arabian, Persan, Roman and Greek health authorities for its cardiotonic, anti-inflammatory, liver protective, stimulant and aphrodisiac effects. In modern pharmacological research, adaptogenic, antidepressant and cancer-protective effects were evidenced.

Hoodia has a long tradition in Bushmen societies of the Kalahari, who used the stems of Hoodia as a source of water, but also to fight the feeling of hunger. Phytochemical and pharmacological testing led to the discovery of a fraction of triterpene saponins with marked hunger suppressing effect, which makes preparations from Hoodia an innovative and promising tool for the treatment of obesity, diabetes type II, and overweight-related cardiovascular disorders (e.g. metabolic syndrome).

Although the use of Hoodia preparations is protected by an US-American patent in many countries, the grey markets are flooded with Hoodia products of highly questionable quality. Hoodia and saffron are both very expensive and relatively rare raw materials, which is displayed in a wide range of adulterations. The current situation does not encourage the systematic use of uncontrolled raw material, especially since scientific results obtained with such material cannot be expected
to be reproducible.

A simple solution to make the wealth of traditional medicinal experience available to science and modern medicine is to follow the rules of the WHO guideline „Good Agricultural and Collection Practice” (GACP), and to establish a complete traceability of the raw material.

Our international research program focuses on the screening of suitable cultivars and controlled cultivation as well as on phytochemical, pharmacological and clinical research on both plants. It also includes the galenical development of extracts.

Download: Hoodia gordonii and Crocus sativus: Quality of Herbal Raw Material (148.98 kB 2009-05-20 12:45:09). 
Symposium on Medicinal Plant Research, Amman (Jordanien), November 16-18, 2005