Moph To Preserve And Conduct Research On Anti-cancer Herb

[Jai Dee]

MoPH to preserve and conduct research on anti-cancer herb

The Ministry of Public Health is rapidly conserving and conducting further research on a rare Thai herb called “Mog Bawai” (หมอกบ่วาย). Mog Bawai is a herb used by the local physicians in the northeastern region of Thailand for treating liver cancer. According to foreign research, this herb is an anti-cancer medicine.

Mr. Phinij Jarusombat, the Public Health Minister, visited Praew Nguek (แพรวเงือก) Swamp near Pana Pieng Mai (ป่านาเพียงใหม่) Temple situated in Pon Nisai (โพนพิสัย) District of Nong Khai Province. There, Mr. Pinij handed over a policy to the Department of Traditional and Alternative Medicine Development. According to this policy, the department has the duty to preserve Mog Bawai and carry out a research on this traditional herb, in order to benefit the public health of Thailand. Mog Bawai has the ability to treat liver cancer and liver cirrhosis, the diseases that have taken away more than 12,000 people in Thailand per year. The herb can mostly be found in the northeastern region of the country, and the local doctors will use the dried stem of this plant and soaked it in an alcoholic beverage. The medicine will be applied to the patients who are suffering from liver cirrhosis, malaria, and other liver diseases.

According to a research study in Brazil, Mog Bawai has the potency to treat microbes and cancer. Meanwhile, doctors in Europe have used this herb with alcohol, to make coughing medicine. Mog Bawai is certainly a beneficial herb that can be used to treat many diseases, and this is considered to be pleasant news to the patients who are suffering from liver cancer as well. However, patients should obtain advices from well-accepted local and traditional doctors on Mog Bawai as this herb can possibly cause allergies.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 03 March 2006