DRUG DISCOVERY AND BIODIVERSITY AMONG THE MAYA OF MEXICO

一个多学科的国际生物多样性合作组织 提议将发现、隔离和临床前评估 来自墨西哥的药理上重要的物种，第三富有的巨型- 世界上最具多样性的地区，也是世界上最受威胁的地区之一 由于环境破坏的加剧，生物多样性的丧失。工作 将在该地区讲玛雅语的人民中进行 拥有由数百个物种组成的复杂的民族药典 在一个古老的传统医学体系中的植物。药效 玛雅医学中使用的最重要的植物物种 药用上最有前途的物种 高地恰帕斯(约5000种)将由 天然产物化学家采用最现代的化验程序 可用。来自该地区的重要微生物样本将 也要接受评估。将对所有物种的活动进行筛选 对抗癌症，与艾滋病毒/艾滋病相关的机会性疾病，中枢神经系统 疾病、避孕、心血管疾病和局部严重疾病 胃肠道、呼吸系统/肺部和皮肤疾病。ICBG 将对中央恰帕斯进行一次全面的植物学调查 高地，与可持续农业生态试验相协调 收获和生产具有高潜力的精选品种 仿制药、作物保护剂和商业上可行的 观赏植物。玛雅合作者将在研讨会和 参与性研究活动。学术交流是伴随着 ICBG将允许东道国国民和美国学生参加 在高级学位课程中，确保课程目标将是 在它完成后继续。

A multidisciplinary International Collaborative Biodiversity Group is proposed that will discover, isolate, and preclinically evaluate pharmacologically important species from Mexico, the third richest mega- diversity region of the world and one of the most threatened in terms of biodiversity loss due to increased environmental destruction. Work will be carried out among the Maya-speaking peoples of the area who possess a complex ethnopharmacopoeia comprised of hundreds of species of plants in an ancient system of traditional medicine. The efficacy of the most important plant species employed in Maya medicine, as well the pharmaceutically most promising species from the total flora of Highland Chiapas (approximately 5000 species) will be evaluated by natural products chemists employing the most modern assaying procedures available. A significant sample of micro-organisms from the region will also be evaluated. All species will be screened for their activity against cancer, opportunistic diseases associated with HIV-AIDS, CNS disorders, contraception, cardiovascular disease, and locally serious gastrointestinal, respiratory/pulmonary, and skin disorders. The ICBG will mount a comprehensive botanical survey of the Central Chiapas Highlands, in concert with agroecological experimentation on sustainable harvest and production of selected species that show high potential as pytomedicinals, crop protection agents, and commercially viable ornamentals. Maya collaborators will be trained in workshops and participatory research activities. Academic exchanges developed with the ICBG will allow host-country nationals and US students to participate in advanced degree programs, assuring that goals of the program will be continued upon its completion.