INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH ON BIOMEDICINES FROM THE TROPICAL RAIN-FOREST

The phytochemistry and pharmacognosy of medicinal plants from the trop ical rain forest has been a focus of research at the University of Cal ifornia at Irvine and Cornell University. One interesting aspect of ou r investigations is the discovery that many animals (particularly prim ates) treat their maladies by consuming plants with pharmacologically active chemicals. We have termed this medicinal consumption of plants by animals as Zoopharmacognosy. To help prepare a larger cadre of scie ntists to work in the biomedical sciences, our laboratories have devel oped a new undergraduate research program with support from the Nation al Institutes of Health Fogarty International Center. The major purpos e of this program is to provide international training to graduate and undergraduate students from groups that are underrespresented in the biomedical sciences. Consequently we have established collaborative ar rangements with researchers at universities in Latin America and Afric a to help train these minority biomedical sciences students in an inte rnational setting. The collaborative institutions in Latin America inc lude the Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Cientificas (IVIC), t he Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM), the Universidad Per uana Cayetano Heredia and the Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica. Our collaborating institutions in Africa include Harvard University and Ma kerere University in Uganda. The research focus of the students going to Venezuela was twofold: 1) they received training in virology from a study of the avian viruses at the ecological reserve at Hato Pinero; 2) they also conducted research on the ethnopharmacology of a native g roup (the Yekuana Indians) in the Amazon rain forest portion of Venezu ela. The students in Costa Rica are seeking to identify the chemical c onstituents of plants that the capuchin monkeys rub on their fur for p resumed medicinal purposes. The program in Peru is investigating the l ocal herbal cures for the endemic Leishmania parasites. In Africa, the students are investigating aspects of the medicinal usage of plants b y local primates (primarily chimpanzees and gorillas). Students and ou r senior laboratory personnel are also investigating aspects of the ph armacology and toxicology of the plants used by the local human inhabi tants infected by the HIV virus.