Research project looks at traditional medicines

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The cardiovascular research group at the University of Saskatchewan is teaming up with two Saskatchewan First Nations to take a scientific look at what makes traditional herbal remedies work.

The research group plans to talk to Elders and healers from English River First Nation and the Lac La Ronge Indian band to gather information about traditional treatments of cardiovascular problems.

Dr. Rui Wang, a physiologist at the U of S, is heading up the research project. The idea for the project, he explained, grew out of discussions about what could be done to address the high rates of diabetes and cardiovascular disease among Aboriginal populations. It was during those discussions that the idea arose that part of the solution might already exist within the Aboriginal community, in the form of the traditional herbal medicines that have been used for generations. Those herbal medicines, Wang explained, could be used to help all people with cardiovascular problems, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal.

While the primary reason for the research project is to develop medicines to treat, or even prevent, cardiovascular diseases, the project also has a secondary goal, Wang said-to help preserve traditional Aboriginal knowledge for future generations.

"Generation by generation, Aboriginal herbal medicine is passed by mouth, by personal experience. And if, as a society as a whole in Canada, we don't really take a serious look at this important heritage, in several generations the Aboriginal herb medicine will disappear," Wang said.

"That's a big loss, not only to the Aboriginal people but also to Canada as a whole. So we thought, from both a heritage point of view and from a health point of view, we need to do this."

Wang is optimistic about what traditional herbal medicine might have to offer mainstream medical practices. Traditional Aboriginal medicines focus on prevention, rather than treatment; they are effective, if they weren't, they wouldn't be used generation after generation; they have fewer side-effects than many mainstream treatments; and because they are created from natural ingredients, they are less expensive to produce.

There is no shortage of information already compiled about herbal medications and their effectiveness, Wang said. But what has been missing up to now is the scientific evidence to explain why and how they are effective. That is what this project proposes to do.

There are two parts to the research project, the first being the collection of some of the plants used in traditional Aboriginal medicines. The plants already collected have been processed in the lab to extract the compounds believed to give the herb its medicinal qualities. The effects of those compounds on animals is then tested on animals, Wang said, "from a whole animal to an isolated cell and even to a molecule."

The second part of the project is a survey of Elders and healers within the two participating communities, who will be asked to share information about the plants traditionally used in the treatment and prevention of cardiovascular disease.

"In the long term, definitely we want to make sure this knowledge will be used very respectfully and to respect Aboriginal heritage, to get all the agreement from Aboriginal people before we can use it in any capacity," Wong said.

If an important compound in the treatment of cardiovascular disease is found-and Wong is optimistic one will be-he envisions a joint venture between researchers and the Aboriginal communities involved to "collaboratively exploit their economic impact."

While the possible benefits of this research project to the scientific and medical communities are clear, what is less clear is what the two communities taking part will take away from their involvement.

According to Isadore Campbell, a member of English River First Nation who was instrumental in getting his home community involved in the project, the research being done bythe cardiovascular research group will help preserve knowledge about traditional Aboriginal medicines for future generations. In addition to his involvement in the research project, Campbell is also acting director of self-government for Meadow Lake Tribal Council and co-chair of the Northwest Regional Council.

"Words couldn't mention how important that is, because as our original healers are dying off, some of our knowledge is also dying off. And the sooner we grasp that and hang on to it, I think, it'll be better for us," Campbell said.

Campbell's mother is a healer, and her father before her, so he has seen first-hand that the old remedies work. This project will also help him satisfy a lifelong curiosity about why they work.

Campbell believes the project will also help with mainstream recognition of the usefulness of traditional medicines in the management of cardiovascular health and provide the scientific evidence needed to develop traditional medicines to their full potential.

When asked about the possibility for Aboriginal communities to benefit economically through the marketing of products that may result from this research, Campbell said such discussions would be premature.

"First of all ... when it comes down to marketing and economics, that more or less goes against the grain of sharing traditional knowledge, especially in the area of healing. It's a gift that was given to certain people to take care of a community and you shouldn't gain by it. So it's a very sensitive area to come over, although we are heading into that direction. But we want to do it in a way that satisfies English River, because this is an English River project, as well as Lac La Ronge. I can't speak for Lac La Ronge, but as far as English River goes, we've notified them (the cardiovascular research group) ahead of time that this is an English River project and any further developments, we have to be involved all the way," he said.

Victor Mispounas, another member of nglish River First Nation who also comes from a long line of traditional healers, has a number of reservations about the research project.

"My parents are the ones that taught me the herbal medicines, in which I'm still practicing to this day, which is what I do every day," Mispounas said. "I go out in the field and pick herbs."

Mispounas doesn't do much healing himself-he picks the herbs to be used by others. But he does have the traditional knowledge, and isn't very big on the idea of sharing that knowledge with researchers.

"Some of us do consider these sacred, and we don't really want it to go out."

Unlike Campbell and Wang, Mispounas isn't concerned about the loss of traditional knowledge over time, believing that the knowledge will always continue to be preserved in the way it has been for generations.

"Traditions aren't going to be lost," he said. "There's people like me that know knowledge. It's a tradition. It's kept in the family. It's never going to be lost so long as people like me keep giving it to our descendants."

Victor Mispounas also questions whether First Nations will really see a benefit from any discoveries that come out of the project.

"You know, if it was true. But the thing is, like I've said for many years ... the white man has always spoken with a forked tongue, you know. That's one thing I'm scared of," he said.

He's also worried that by sharing information about traditional medicine, Aboriginal people may one day lose control and ownership of that knowledge.

"What we're afraid of is that someday, once everything is gathered, maybe someday they'll stop everything. We won't be allowed to practice our traditions. That's something we've got to be careful about. That's what we're scared of."

Mispounas, who lives 57 miles south of English River on the La Plonge Indian reserve, said he hasn't been approached to take part in the research project but, although he has a number of concerns about the project, he said th final decision as to whether or not he'll take part will be made not by him, but by his Elders."The only way I'll agree to that is if my Elders say it's okay. I've got Elders too I've got to listen to. I just don't go ahead and do things on my own."