Another reason to look after native flora

BBC News - British flowers are the source of a new cancer drug

It seems one of our native flowers, the autumn crocus, has got the attention of the scientists investigating new cancer treatments.

 

Its one of the many arguments against disturbing ancient eco systems such as the rain forests. It is well documented that many of the medicines that we take for granted today actually have their origins in plants. The common aspirin tablet springs to mind, I think that one had its origins in a chemical in Willow bark (long since synthesised of course, but with natural origins).

When we look at how far medical science has come, even in just the last 20 years or so, it is easy to forget that there are still so many conditions that currently can't be treated effectively. There's still so much the top brains don't know. If we can hang onto our natural stuff for as a long as possible, there's the potential to discover so many wonderful things.

 

Blimey,

I've always regarded the Autumn Crocus as highly supicious, i'm going to have to re evaluate to slightly suspicious now