RESEARCH
"The Palau Primary Health Care Manual has been a collaborative effort between academics of Western knowledge and those of traditional knowledge, both with the objective of innovating the approach to health and to improve the “Klengar ma Klechad” (Life and Living) of the inhabitants of these lands." - Victor M. Yano, M.D.
Palau
Primary Health
Manual
Health Care in Palau: Combining Conventional
Treatments and Traditional Uses of Plants for Health and Healing
Journal documents Linked here
1
Traditional local medicines in the republic of Palau and non-communicable diseases (NCD), signs of effectiveness
The aim of this survey was to describe which traditional medicines (TM) are most commonly used for Non-communicable diseases (NCD– diabetes, hypertension related to excess weight and obesity) in Pacific islands and with what perceived effectiveness. NCD, especially prevalent in the Pacific, have been subject to many public health interventions, often with rather disappointing results. Innovative interventions are required; one hypothesis is that some local, traditional approaches may have been overlooked.
2
Traditional preparation of Phaleria nisidai, a Palauan tea
Ethnopharmacological relevance: The leaves of Phaleria nisidai Kaneh. (Thymelaeaceae) are brewed into a tea commonly used as a tonic, strengthening beverage and immune enhancer in Palau, Micronesia. Recently, the leaves of P. nisidai have been shown to contain toxic daphnane diterpene esters which may pose a public health threat to Palauans. Aims of the study: This project documents the use frequency, preparation and side effects of Phaleria nisidai
3
Confirmation of Oryctes rhinoceros nudivirus infections in G-haplotype coconut rhinoceros beetles from Palauan PCR-positive populations
Coconut rhinoceros beetle (CRB), Oryctes rhinoceros, is a pest of palm trees in the Pacifc. Recently, a remarkable degree of palm damage reported in Guam, Hawaii, Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands has been associated with a particular haplotype (clade I), known as “CRB‑G”. In this study, more than 75% of pheromone trap‑captured adults of both haplotypes were Oryctes rhinoceros nudivirus (OrNV)‑positive by PCR.
4
Plants, people and culture in the villages of Oikull and Ibobang, Republic of Palau
Ethnobotany is the investigation of the interaction between plants, people and culture (Jones 1941; Arvigo and Balick 1998; Balick and Cox 2005).The body of knowledge and practices developed and maintained by people interacting with their natural environment over time is known as traditional knowledge. his can include information on plants used for food, shelter, medicine, tools, arts and crafts, aesthetic beauty and spiritual purposes. Due to its dynamic nature, traditional knowledge is diicult to quantify (Lee et al. 2001). he loss of traditional practices is a threat to biodiversity globally (Balick and Cox 2005) and to Palau’s communities (Palau National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan 2004).
5
Phenolics from Phaleria nisidai with Estrogenic Activity
Abstract: The methanol extract of P. nisidai leaves yielded a benzophenone rhamnoside, iriflophenone 2-O-α- L-rhamnopyranoside (1) in addition to genkwanin 5-O-β-D-primeveroside (2) and mangiferin (3). The isolated compounds as well as the derived aglycones of 1 and 2 assigned as compounds 4 and 5, respectively, were tested for their estrogenic activity on ERα using an estrogen receptor competitive binding screen. Compounds 1, 4 and 5 showed almost the same binding ability to ERα with IC 50 of 630 μ M, 700 μ M and 800 μ M, respectively. Virtual docking with ERα revealed that compound 1, 4 and 5 strongly hydrogen bond with amino acids Glu353, Arg349, Gly521 and His524, in the estrogen receptor ligand binding domain, similar to that of mammalian estrogen 17β-estradiol.
6
Traditional local medicines in the republic of Palau and non communicable diseases (NCD), signs of effectiveness
The aim of this survey was to describe which traditional medicines (TM) are most commonly used for non-communicable diseases (NCD – diabetes, hypertension related to excess weight and obesity) in Pacific islands and with what perceived effectiveness. NCD, especially prevalent in the Pacific, have been subject to many public health interventions, often with rather disappointing results. Innovative interventions are required; one hypothesis is that some local, traditional approaches may have been overlooked.