Medicinal Botany: Exploring traditional ecological knowledge and western laboratory science
Bunker Interpretive Center, Calvin University, 1750 E Beltline Ave SE, Grand Rapids, MI, 49546 Map
Public Welcome Free Event Chapter Meeting Program/Speaker Presentation Wheelchair Accessible Public Restroom Free Public Parking Drinking Fountains
Presented by Madison (Maisie) Wiler
Four out of five FDA-approved medicines are derived from plant compounds. Even so, scientists believe that nature's pharmaceutical value is largely unexplored—but many scientists seeking to develop new medicines fail to consult with indigenous nations, whose traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) encompasses medicines unknown or unused in western pharmacology. This presentation will explore traditional medicines, their uses, and will provide an evidentiary basis for their efficacy with comparisons to western laboratory science. Additionally, we will discuss the issue of exploitation of Indigenous nations by pharmaceutical companies.