CONTACTStaffCAREER OPPORTUNITIESADVERTISE WITH USPRIVACY POLICYPRIVACY PREFERENCESTERMS OF USELEGAL NOTICE
© 2024 Pride Publishing Inc.
All Rights reserved
All Rights reserved
By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Private Policy and Terms of Use.
Plants thought to help treat or cure cancer, HIV, and malaria have been found in the rain forests of Borneo, says a report from the Swiss-based global conservation group WWF. But the rapid destruction of trees--much of it by illegal logging to meet growing world demand for timber--could wreck any chance of using these discoveries in the fight against disease, the WWF has declared.
A promising anticancer substance has been found in a Borneo shrub by researchers for an Australian pharmaceutical firm, and a chemical found in latex produced by a tree appears to be effective against the replication of HIV, the report said. In the bark of another species of tree, researchers discovered a previously unknown substance that in laboratory tests appeared to kill the human malaria parasite.
In all, it said, 422 new plant species had been discovered in Borneo--shared by Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei--in the past 25 years, and many others were believed to be there that could have medicinal applications. But, "all these promising discoveries could eventually be lost if the disappearing rainforests of the heart of Borneo are not adequately protected," the WWF said.
"More forest destruction could well deny science the opportunity to discover and develop further potential sources of lifesaving medication," the WWF quoted Murray Tait--vice president of drug delivery at Cerylid Biosciences, the Australian company that identified the anticancer compound--as saying.
The report says Borneo's forest cover has shrunk from 75% of the island in the mid 1980s to 50% today. (Reuters)
Want more breaking equality news & trending entertainment stories?
Check out our NEW 24/7 streaming service: the Advocate Channel!
Download the Advocate Channel App for your mobile phone and your favorite streaming device!
From our Sponsors
Most Popular
Here Are Our 2024 Election Predictions. Will They Come True?
November 07 2023 1:46 PM
Meet all 37 of the queer women in this season's WNBA
April 17 2024 11:24 AM
17 Celebs Who Are Out & Proud of Their Trans & Nonbinary Kids
November 30 2023 10:41 AM
Here Are the 15 Most LGBTQ-Friendly Cities in the U.S.
November 01 2023 5:09 PM
Which State Is the Queerest? These Are the States With the Most LGBTQ+ People
December 11 2023 10:00 AM
These 27 Senate Hearing Room Gay Sex Jokes Are Truly Exquisite
December 17 2023 3:33 PM
10 Cheeky and Homoerotic Photos From Bob Mizer's Nude Films
November 18 2023 10:05 PM
42 Flaming Hot Photos From 2024's Australian Firefighters Calendar
November 10 2023 6:08 PM
These Are the 5 States With the Smallest Percentage of LGBTQ+ People
December 13 2023 9:15 AM
Here are the 15 gayest travel destinations in the world: report
March 26 2024 9:23 AM
Watch Now: The Daily
Trending stories from our video partner Advocate Channel.
For more videos and shows go to advocatechannel.com.
Trending stories from our video partner Advocate Channel.
For more videos and shows go to advocatechannel.com.
Latest Stories
Anti-LGBTQ+ Republican Kristi Noem brags about killing dog and goat in her new book
April 26 2024 6:58 PM
Pride
Yahoo FeedCelebrating Lesbian Visibility Day: 10 perfect gifts for the queer women in your life
April 26 2024 5:21 PM
Patricia Rozema's queer and poetic lens gets a Los Angeles retrospective
April 26 2024 5:05 PM
5 questions for the 4 new queens of 'We're Here'
April 26 2024 3:50 PM
12 lesbian music icons to know this Lesbian Visibility Day
April 26 2024 3:19 PM
Bowen Yang and Lily Gladstone to star in ‘The Wedding Banquet’ remake
April 26 2024 1:14 PM
Why is the United Methodist Church meeting over LGBTQ+ rights?
April 26 2024 1:03 PM
LGBTQ+ voters prefer Biden and Democrats over Trump but want them to do more: poll
April 26 2024 12:55 PM
Supreme Court justices appear skeptical of Trump’s immunity claim
April 25 2024 4:06 PM
After a Pennsylvania school board canceled a gay actor's talk, the community fought back
April 25 2024 3:52 PM
Maine signs trans and abortion sanctuary bill into law, despite violent threats
April 25 2024 11:39 AM