Posted on: Friday, October 1, 2004
Samoan tree genes may fight AIDS, profit nation
By Jan TenBruggencate
Advertiser Science Writer
The University of California at Berkeley and the government of Samoa have signed an agreement to share any royalties from the sale of a potential AIDS drug, Prostratin, that comes from the genes of a native Samoan tree, the mamala or Homolanthus nutans.
Native healers in Samoa use extract from the tree to treat hepatitis. The healers taught Kaua'i ethnobotanist Paul Cox how the tree is used in traditional medicine. Cox, who heads the Institute for Ethnobotany at the National Tropical Botanical Garden on Kaua'i, said the gene sequence for Prostratin is extracted from the bark of the mamala tree and appears to have the ability to force the human immunodeficiency virus that causes AIDS out of the body's immune cells so that it can be attacked by anti-HIV drugs.
Berkeley chemical engineering professor Jay Keasling is trying to insert the mamala genes into bacteria to provide living "factories" for making Prostratin.
"A microbial source for Prostratin will ensure a plentiful, high-quality supply if it is approved as an anti-AIDS drug," Keasling said.
The National Cancer Institute patented Prostratin and required that any commercial development of the drug include Samoa as a partner in the benefits. The agreement will ensure that any use of the gene sequence benefits the nation of Samoa, the villages where the mamala grows, and the families of the healers who taught Cox about the plant.
"We consider the actual gene sequences as part of Samoa's sovereignty, and every effort will be made to reflect this fact," Keasling said. "I think that UC-Berkeley could set a precedent both for biodiversity conservation and genetic research by including indigenous peoples as full partners in royalties for new gene discoveries that result from their ancient medicines."
Keasling, Cox and Gaugau Tavana, a Samoan educator who works with the National Tropical Botanical Garden, met with each of the three villages where the mamala grows and discussed the research with them.
Reach Jan TenBruggencate at jant@honoluluadvertiser.com or (808) 245-3074.
