Invasive weed may help treat some human diseases, researchers find

[Northerner]

Native to the southeastern United States, a weedy grass has spread northward to Canada and also made its way to Australia and Japan. Andropogon virginicus grows densely packed and up to seven feet tall, disrupting growth patterns of other plants and competing for resources. When burned, it grows back stronger. There is no way to effectively remove the weed once it has invaded. But there might be a way to use it to human advantage.

An international team of researchers has found that A. virginicus extracts appear to be effective against several human diseases, including diabetes and cancer. The results were published on Dec. 31, 2020, in a special issue of Plants, titled "Biological Activities of Plant Extracts."

Invasive weed may help treat some human diseases, researchers find

An international team of researchers has found that A. virginicus extracts appear to be effective against several human diseases, including diabetes and cancer.

www.sciencedaily.com

 

[mikeyB]

Most of the drugs used in cancer treatment are derived from fungi or plants. This is nothing new.

 

[Northerner]

Most of the drugs used in cancer treatment are derived from fungi or plants. This is nothing new.

I suppose it's new that they've found a potential use for a crap plant 🙂

 

[mikeyB]

It was on the cards it would be a useful store of cytotoxic compounds because of the way it inhibits the growth of rivals. That, on a smaller scale, is how Alexander Fleming discovered the the penicillium mould that killed bacteria.

 

[Northerner]

It was on the cards it would be a useful store of cytotoxic compounds because of the way it inhibits the growth of rivals. That, on a smaller scale, is how Alexander Fleming discovered the the penicillium mould that killed bacteria.

I love these little snippets of knowledge Mike 🙂