Medicinal Cures: Part 2

By Barbara Morse Silva
Health Check 10 Reporter
Published: November 20, 2008

Dr. Navindra Seeram is researching plants and other natural sources as possible treatments, even cures for disease at the University of Rhode Island’s School of Pharmacy.  His area of study is known as pharmacognosy.

Seeram’s special research interests include cancer specifically breast and prostate cancer. The other is diabetes.

In the URI lab, a variety of extracts are tested on actual cancer cells in test tubes.  But a lot of those extracts come from flowers and berries in URI’s medical plant garden. Seeram makes the distinction between medicinal and edible.  All plants are not edible he points out.

One such plant is Belladonna, which is not edible, but is being used in the treatment of eye diseases. 

Hot peppers, which are edible, are a natural pain reliever he says.

“Pot marigold, can be used as an ointment to promote the healing of minor scrapes and burns.  Marigold has been used for a while it’s actually very popular in European countries,” he says.

No plant, no flower, no tree is off limits to this expert in pharmacognosy.  And while Seeram’s lab is looking for the next great treatment or cure for disease,  Seeram says we can all, more immediately, benefit from eating more of our already established gems from the earth, such as oregano, basil, rosemary and garlic.

“We have found over time that by eating these plant foods that we can actually concur some of the health benefits.”

Seeram cautions that some plants are poisonous—so if you’re unsure, stay away.