BIOPIRACY Imitations Not Innovations - Biopirateria

Biopiracy: Imitations Not Innovations 69
vitiated conditions of dysentery, ulcers, haemorrhoids and skin diseases. The
gum resin is sweet, bitter, astringent, antipyretic, anti-dysenteric, expectorant,
diaphoretic, diuretic, and emmenagogue. It is useful in fevers, diaphoresis,
convulsions, dysentary, urethrorrhea, orchiopathy, bronchitis, asthma, cough,
stomatitis, syphilitic diseases, chronic laryngitis, jaundice and arthritis.
● Curcuma longa: See plant no. 10.
● Zingiber officinale: The rhizome is very popular in the kitchen, as a part of
the condiments, curries, pickles and syrup. It is hot, acrid, anodyne,
antirheumatic, carminative, cooling, cordial, diuretic and aphrodisiac. It
promotes digestive power, cleanses the throat and tongue, dispels cardiac
disorders and cures vomiting, ascites, cough, dyspnoea, anorexia, fever,
anaemia, flatulence, colic, constipation, swelling, elephantiasis and dysuria.
It is also used in diarrhoea, cholera, dyspepsia, and neurological diseases,
diabetes, eye diseases, tympanitis etc. In indigenous medicine, it is extensively
used for its specific action in rheumatism and inflammation of the liver.
Modern use in the patent: A patent has been granted on the method of
treating degenerative musculoskeletal diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and
osteoarthritis in humans. It has been granted by the USPTO (United States
Patent 5,494,668) to Patwardhan et al, on 27 February, 1996. It comprises
administering in a convenient dosage form, a therapeutically effective amount of
the beneficiated extracts of the above plants.
Derivation observed
Indigenous use Modern use
● Arthritis and rheumatism Rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis