Drugstore Culture Threatens Ancient Arab Medicine
Sat May 8, 8:10 AM ET
By Andrew Hammond
DUBAI (Reuters) - The United Arab Emirates
(UAE) is fighting to save indigenous Bedouin herbal cures
for complaints ranging from hepatitis to sexual dysfunction.
Rapid urbanization on the back of oil wealth
has transformed life in the UAE, a collection of tribal
sheikhdoms on the eastern coast of the Gulf, into a bustling
nation of three million people, mostly expatriates living
in modern skyscrapers.
Traditional medicine hardly has any role in today's UAE
and young Emiratis -- who like fast cars, fashion and other
trappings of modern life -- are almost exclusively using
branded medicines sold in drugstores instead of learning
the cures of their ancestors. "There is a big danger
of traditional medicines in the UAE being lost," says
Dr. Mazen Ali Naji, head of the state-backed Zayed Complex
for Herbal Research and Traditional Medicine.
"People have become modern ... The young generation
is interested in pharmacy drugs, and the traditional apothecaries
are old now."
This is despite the fact that at its height Arab-Islamic
civilization excelled in what was known variously as "Yunani"
(Greek) or "Prophetic" medicine. But even then
there was little focus on the Gulf region as such, Naji
says.
"Even the greats of Arab medicine like al-Farabi, al-Razi
and Ibn Sina didn't talk about herbs in the Arabian peninsula,"
he said.
UNIQUE BOTANIC REGION
The complex's database now has samples of more than 700
plants from around the UAE, which is part of a unique botanical
region including Iran, Oman, Kuwait and eastern Saudi Arabia.
"We are trying to go out and visit these people from
Bedouin tribes, and get the information they pass to their
sons since it has not been documented," Naji said.
"This is information which is transferred by families
from generation to generation."
Many of these herbs can treat serious illnesses. Naji listed
"shweika" as effective against hepatitis B, "ashkhar"
works for colon disturbance and irritable bowel disease,
while "garadh" is great for a gastric ulcer. Then
there is "tartouth."
"Tartouth is a wonderful sexual enhancer and it actually
looks like the human sexual organ too," Naji said,
adding he was keeping the key ingredients of the Viagra-like
plant, which is only found in the UAE and Oman, a secret.
"Herbs growing in the desert are very effective because
the ingredients are concentrated and grow naturally without
human interference," Naji said.
"We have identified 60 herbs used in chronic diseases.
We keep the whole concentrate rather than just taking the
active ingredient, which is what happens with modern chemical-based
medicines."
So far the complex has produced around 10 products which
are offered free to UAE nationals and for a small cost to
residents. Few of these herbs are available in local markets
and traders at the main herb market in Dubai knew of only
one.
Naji said international drug companies have been so far
unaware of this plant life in the Arabian peninsula, though
the complex has begun the process of patenting its tartouth
product in Britain.
ASIAN MEDICINE POPULAR
While the Arab natives lose their old medicines, the UAE's
South Asian community is rediscovering its own, says Dr.
Asha M.T. of the Dubai Herbal and Treatment Center .
The ancient Indian medical system known
as "Ayurveda" -- Sanskrit for "life knowledge"
-- is popular among Indians, Bangladeshis, Sri Lankans and
Pakistanis, she said.
"Ayurveda is popular in Dubai. Here
people are very attached to herbs and feel better with them.
People are aware of our old medical system," Dr Asha
said, opening a giant fridge-like box in which patients
sit to receive a herbal steaming.
"We can treat muscular and bone problems,
joints, back, migraine, skin, respiratory, sleep and stress.
Modern medicine treats only the symptoms, not the whole
body," she said.
The UAE authorities have made moves to regulate
the burgeoning market in alternative medicine and license
practitioners of Indian, Chinese and Arab medicine.
But Naji said these regulations are unlikely
to make Arab medicine more popular, since most herbalists
hail from Asia.
"I don't want to say that herbs should
replace modern medicine. Acute cases should be treated in
hospitals," he said. "But our herbal medicines
have been used for hundreds of years. Modern medicines used
over the last 50 years have side-effects."
