Professor Dr Tiwtawat Napiroon from the Department of Biotechnology, Thammasat University and the research team has made the world’s first discovery on the study of Cannabis compounds found in “Trema orientalis (L.) Blume”.
The research has been accepted and published in well-known life, biology and medicine journal, PeerJ from the United States.
“Trema orientalis”, a little-known medicinal plant, was discovered for tangible usage for the first time in Thailand and the world. It is used for treatment involving antibacterial infection in the human respiratory system.
The research used the taxonomic, biomolecular, phytochemical and ethnobotanical data integrated with the research conducted by pharmacists, Assoc. Prof. Dr Wichai Santimaleeworakul, Head of the Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Silpakorn University, Asst. Prof. Dr. Keerati Tanruean and Asst. Prof. Dr Pisit Poolprasert from the Department of Biology, Pibulsongkram Rajabhat University and Mr Manop Poopat, Forestry Officer from Forest Botany Division, Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation with the support fund from Agricultural Research Development Agency (Public Organization) or ARDA for Thai Medicinal Plants.
It led to the discovery of the importance of phytochemicals for each part of the plant and biological activity that are consistent with the treatment of infectious diseases according to local wisdom.
The research team and ARDA are preparing other parts of the report as well as the development of pharmaceutical products from this medicinal plant to be further published in this journal.
