Herbal medicine boom threatens plants

January 8, 2004

Taken from: http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99994538

The multimillion-pound boom in herbal medicine is threatening to wipe

out up to a fifth of the plant species on which it depends, wrecking

their natural habitats and jeopardising the health of millions of

people in developing countries. And yet the herbal medicines industry

has been accused of doing nothing about it.

Most people around the globe use herbal medicine for everyday

healthcare, with as many as 80 per cent relying on it in some

countries. But two-thirds of the 50,000 medicinal plants in use are

still harvested from the wild, and research to be published later in

2004 suggests that between 4000 and 10,000 of them may now be

endangered.

A study by Alan Hamilton, a plant specialist from the global

environment network WWF, will point out that the market for herbal

remedies in North America and Europe has been expanding by about 10

per cent a year for the last decade and the world market is now

thought to be worth at least £11 billion. Many of the plants are

harvested by poor communities in India and China whose livelihoods

will suffer if the plants die out.

" It's an extremely serious problem, " Hamilton told New Scientist. He

is a member of the World Conservation Union's Medicinal Plants

Specialist Group, and has drawn his estimates of the number of

species at risk from expert analyses of the IUCN's Red List of

threatened plants. His study is due to be published in Biodiversity

and Conservation.

Anti-cancer drugs

Hamilton has also helped compile a report, Herbal Harvests with a

Future, which is due to be unveiled next week by the conservation

group Plantlife International. " With demand and commercialisation

growing fast, the future of the wild plants which have helped most of

humanity for centuries is now more uncertain than it has ever been, "

says the group's Martin Harper.

One species highlighted by Plantlife as being under threat is tetu

lakha (Nothatodytes foetida), a small tree found in rainforests in

south India and Sri Lanka and used for anti-cancer drugs in Europe.

Others include a saw-wort known as costus or kusta (Saussurea lappa)

from India whose root is used for chronic skin disorders, and the

tendrilled fritillary (Fritillaria cirrhosa) from Sichuan, China,

used to treat respiratory infections.

Although the crisis has been looming for years, Plantlife accuses the

herbal medicine industry of failing to ensure the sustainability of

its supplies. It has established that 11 of 16 herbal companies in

the UK, for instance, harvest all the plants they sell from the wild,

and the remaining five grow only a small proportion.

A leading UK natural skin care company, The Body Shop International,

accepts that it does not grow its own medicinal plants, but insists

that it is environmentally aware. " The protection of flora and fauna

is an integral part of The Body Shop approach to products. We do not

source materials derived from endangered and threatened species, "

says a company spokeswoman in London.

Health fads

But Plantlife says awareness of the environmental problems among

companies in general is limited and sometimes vague. " Given the scale

of the threat, this is alarming, " Harper warns. " It is time for the

industry to join forces with environmental organisations to ensure

that herbal harvests have a sustainable future. "

Another leading international expert on medicinal plants, Gerard

Bodeker from Green College, Oxford, thinks that the assessments of

the crisis by Hamilton and Plantlife are conservative. Most of the

processes involved in supplying the growing market for herbal

remedies are " the result of unsustainable and often destructive

practices driven by poverty " , he says.

The industry is characterised by changing health fads which keep

favouring different plants, so there is little incentive to

sustainably produce particular species, he argues. " They are eating

their own nest. They are not replacing what they take. "

The market for African cherry (Prunus africana), the bark of which is

popular in Europe as a treatment for prostate enlargement, has

collapsed because too many trees have been destroyed. In the past the

trees, which grow in Africa's mountain regions, survived because

traditionally less than half of their bark was harvested.

But according to a recent study by Kristine Stewart, from consultants

Keith and Schnars in Florida, growing commercial pressures have led

to whole forests being stripped or felled. Exports of dried bark

halved between 1997 and 2000 and the main exporter, Plantecam, had to

close its extraction factory in Cameroon (Journal of

Ethnopharmacology, vol 89, p 3).

Lack of education

In its report, Plantlife urges the industry to invest in cultivation.

It also proposes the introduction of a kite mark to identify products

that have been sustainably harvested.

" There is a complete lack of awareness and lack of education amongst

consumers, " Bodeker says. Although those that use herbal medicines

might be expected to be more environmentally aware than most, that

does not seem to be the case. " They don't make the links, " he adds.

The UK's largest association of herbal practitioners, the National

Institute of Medical Herbalists, is very concerned. " We all need to

work together to address this issue and to put pressure on

suppliers, " the institute's Trudy Norris says.

Attilio

January 8, 2004

Atillio,

Your post brought to mind my experience

in Beijing during the SARS catastrophe

last spring. Just before the publication

of several herbal formulas for use in

preventing SARS, I had occasion to buy

a kilo of jin yin hua. I think I paid

about 39 RMB or about $5.00 US. Once

the news of these formulas had been

spread around town via newspapers and

radio and TV, since they all included

jin yin hua, the price of this herb

shot through the ceiling. A week or so

later, jyh cost nearly 400 RMB per kilo.

This resulted in a rush on the plant

itself. Normally it's harvested twice

a year, and when the spring crop is picked

the growers are careful to protect the

autumn growth potential.

But by April/May, not only had the immature

growth been collected for sale at the

exaggerated prices, the whole plants

were being ripped out of the earth and

ground up for sale.

I believe there is still a shortage and

may well me for years while production

capacity is reestablished.

Just one small example of the downside of

enthusiasm for herbs. I know there are

growing areas for fang feng in the PRC

that have already been completely denuded.

The problems of " success " in this market

are every bit as knotty as the challenges

encountered on the road to it.

Ken

January 8, 2004

Attilio and Ken,

Yes, there is a shortage of jin yin hua at this time exactly for the reasons indicated by Ken. Our agronomist had place 1.5 metric tons on our container last summer, and the Chinese govt. boarded out container and "allowed" us to sell it off in China. You can imagine how our American customers felt. Spring of 2004 should see this herb replenished but not likely back at it's 2002 price.

Among the herbs that can not be gotten easily or at all in their correct form would be cordyceps, dong chong xia cao. This and a number of other herbs like wu wei zi are never cultivated, only wildcrafted. However, wu wei zi is still plentiful and reasonably priced. Shan Zhu Yu has gone through wild fluctuations in pricing due to factors exclusively Chinese. Certain herbs like huang lian are difficult to find without heavy metals, and we need to look farther afield in the mountains of western Sichuan Province for good quality huang lian.

Having said that, very few herbs of the Chinese materia medica are affected by worldwide or corporate uses of herbs. Note that a billion people in China use their own herbs and are able to produce sufficient quantities for their own use. It's the vagaries of Chinese culture and economics that makes Chinese herbs vary in their availability, and not so much the world wide corporate enterprises. The market for Chinese herbs outside of China is profoundly tiny with the exception of Taiwan and Japan who both use Chinese herbs and Chinese medicine as primary care. If Chinese medicine became a form of primary care in America and Europe, this would still not challenge herb production in China ... assuming the use would be of raw herbs and patents.

Emmanuel Segmen

-

kenrose2008

Chinese Medicine

Thursday, January 08, 2004 11:33 AM

Re: Herbal medicine boom threatens plants

Atillio,Your post brought to mind my experiencein Beijing during the SARS catastrophelast spring. Just before the publicationof several herbal formulas for use inpreventing SARS, I had occasion to buya kilo of jin yin hua. I think I paidabout 39 RMB or about $5.00 US. Oncethe news of these formulas had beenspread around town via newspapers andradio and TV, since they all includedjin yin hua, the price of this herbshot through the ceiling. A week or solater, jyh cost nearly 400 RMB per kilo.This resulted in a rush on the plantitself. Normally it's harvested twicea year, and when the spring crop is pickedthe growers are careful to protect theautumn growth potential.But by April/May, not only had the immaturegrowth been collected for sale at theexaggerated prices, the whole plantswere being ripped out of the earth andground up for sale.I believe there is still a shortage andmay well me for years while productioncapacity is reestablished.Just one small example of the downside ofenthusiasm for herbs. I know there aregrowing areas for fang feng in the PRCthat have already been completely denuded.The problems of "success" in this marketare every bit as knotty as the challengesencountered on the road to it.KenMembership requires that you do not post any commerical, swear, religious, spam messages,flame another member or swear. To change your email settings, i.e. individually, daily digest or none, visit the groups’ homepage: Chinese Medicine/ click ‘edit my membership' on the right hand side and adjust accordingly. To send an email to<Chinese Medicine- > from the email account you joined with. You will be removed automatically but will still recieve messages for a few days.

January 9, 2004

Hi Ken and Emmanuel,

Yes, i did hear of the demand surge on particular herbs during the

SARS outbreak, but to hear of actual plants being ripped up to sell

is a sad story and a demonstration of over-the-top market forces.

Are you in a position to provide a comprehensive list of herbs that

are farmed from the wild and ones that may be in danger of over

supply? In the meantime as i'm going to China next month and a few

cases of SARS has been reported, i'll be taking my own supply of Jin

Yin Hua!

Attilio

" Emmanuel Segmen " <susegmen@i...> wrote:

> Attilio and Ken,

>

> Yes, there is a shortage of jin yin hua at this time exactly for

the reasons indicated by Ken. Our agronomist had place 1.5 metric

tons on our container last summer, and the Chinese govt. boarded out

container and " allowed " us to sell it off in China. You can imagine

how our American customers felt. Spring of 2004 should see this herb

replenished but not likely back at it's 2002 price.

>

> Among the herbs that can not be gotten easily or at all in their

correct form would be cordyceps, dong chong xia cao. This and a

number of other herbs like wu wei zi are never cultivated, only

wildcrafted. However, wu wei zi is still plentiful and reasonably

priced. Shan Zhu Yu has gone through wild fluctuations in pricing

due to factors exclusively Chinese. Certain herbs like huang lian

are difficult to find without heavy metals, and we need to look

farther afield in the mountains of western Sichuan Province for good

quality huang lian.

>

> Having said that, very few herbs of the Chinese materia medica are

affected by worldwide or corporate uses of herbs. Note that a

billion people in China use their own herbs and are able to produce

sufficient quantities for their own use. It's the vagaries of

Chinese culture and economics that makes Chinese herbs vary in their

availability, and not so much the world wide corporate enterprises.

The market for Chinese herbs outside of China is profoundly tiny with

the exception of Taiwan and Japan who both use Chinese herbs and

Chinese medicine as primary care. If Chinese medicine became a form

of primary care in America and Europe, this would still not challenge

herb production in China ... assuming the use would be of raw herbs

and patents.

>

> Emmanuel Segmen

>

> -

> kenrose2008

> Chinese Medicine

> Thursday, January 08, 2004 11:33 AM

> Re: Herbal medicine boom threatens plants

>

> Atillio,

>

> Your post brought to mind my experience

> in Beijing during the SARS catastrophe

> last spring. Just before the publication

> of several herbal formulas for use in

> preventing SARS, I had occasion to buy

> a kilo of jin yin hua. I think I paid

> about 39 RMB or about $5.00 US. Once

> the news of these formulas had been

> spread around town via newspapers and

> radio and TV, since they all included

> jin yin hua, the price of this herb

> shot through the ceiling. A week or so

> later, jyh cost nearly 400 RMB per kilo.

>

> This resulted in a rush on the plant

> itself. Normally it's harvested twice

> a year, and when the spring crop is picked

> the growers are careful to protect the

> autumn growth potential.

>

> But by April/May, not only had the immature

> growth been collected for sale at the

> exaggerated prices, the whole plants

> were being ripped out of the earth and

> ground up for sale.

>

> I believe there is still a shortage and

> may well me for years while production

> capacity is reestablished.

>

> Just one small example of the downside of

> enthusiasm for herbs. I know there are

> growing areas for fang feng in the PRC

> that have already been completely denuded.

>

> The problems of " success " in this market

> are every bit as knotty as the challenges

> encountered on the road to it.

>

> Ken

>

> Membership requires that you do not post any commerical, swear,

religious, spam messages,flame another member or swear.

>

> To change your email settings, i.e. individually, daily digest or

none, visit the groups' homepage:

Chinese Medicine/

click 'edit my membership' on the right hand side and adjust

accordingly.

>

> To send an email to

> <Chinese Medicine- > from

the email account you joined with. You will be removed automatically

but will still recieve messages for a few days.

>

January 10, 2004

Hi Attilio,

The request for a comprehensive list is a bit overwhelming. I deal in 550 herbs that each fluctuate seasonally as well as with changes in climate from year to year. You kind of learn to get a grip on the worldwide marketplace as you engage it every day in your business.

Regarding SARS, Jin Yin Hua is the worst. Ban lan gen is a bit challenged. The rest is okay. The jin yin hua problem was not due to "market forces" per se. It was due to governmental, media and social frenzy. Ken was there and reported that it felt like a disaster area. People who did not need the formula for SARS treatment were taking it as a preventative. There were actually very few sick people in a nation of one billion. Yet a vast number of people were self-medicating. In addition the government directed all hospital and medical personnel to self-medicate. All of this fairly psychotic nationwide frenzying peaked when the government directed growers who had run out of stock to pick first leaves and then stems from the Jin Yin Hua plants. This midsummer devastation of the plant stock then challenged the October harvest. It will be April before the plants grow anew. I have tonnage just now of Jin Yin Hua in port in both Los Angeles and Oakland. So the devastation is obviously not complete.

Having said that, market forces usually deriving from Hong Kong speculators can throw things out of wack for one or two herbs per year. Since Hong Kong has returned to the auspices of mainland rule, this scenario has not been played out so much. In fact herbs are moving more readily through other ports now. Also bear in mind that the entire American and European marketplace for Chinese raw herbs might be less than 10 % of what is sold in the little island nation of Taiwan alone. For every 500 or 600 40-foot containers of raw herbs going to Taiwan per year, maybe 40 or 50 containers are going to the U.S. and much less is going to Europe. So don't imagine that the world market is likely to affect much of what's going on with most of the herbs of Chinese medicine. China's main export destinations for Chinese raw herbs is Taiwan and Japan ... to a much lesser extent Korea. China sends the U.S. and Europe other stuff like clothing, shoes, toys, etc.

Emmanuel Segmen

-

Chinese Medicine

Friday, January 09, 2004 3:08 AM

Re: Herbal medicine boom threatens plants

Hi Ken and Emmanuel,Yes, i did hear of the demand surge on particular herbs during the SARS outbreak, but to hear of actual plants being ripped up to sell is a sad story and a demonstration of over-the-top market forces.Are you in a position to provide a comprehensive list of herbs that are farmed from the wild and ones that may be in danger of over supply? In the meantime as i'm going to China next month and a few cases of SARS has been reported, i'll be taking my own supply of Jin Yin Hua!Attilio

January 10, 2004

Dear Attilio

Remember: Using a combination herbs is Chinese medicine. Using single herb is western herbalist. Jin Yin Hua is not good enough to protect you. By the way, which province Jin Yin Hua came from?

Thanks

John Wu MD PhD MSc DCEH MGCTCM

Dr & HERBS Ltd, UK

www.drandherbs.com

0044 77 135 060 24