Mumbai: Clinical trial of an Australian plant derivative on adult AIDS patients

[Guest guest]

Clinical trial of MAC on adult AIDS patients

7 May 2009, 1156 hrs IST, PTI

MUMBAI: An Australian plant bioactive substance Melaleuca Alternifolia

Concentrate (MAC), which had been proved to have effective antibacterial and

antiviral activities, will now undergo clinical trial on adult AIDS patients in

India.

MAC (in capsule form of different dosage) is from the plant Melaleuca

Alternifolia and has also shown to stimulate immune system response. Therefore,

the trial will be carried out at Joshi Research Institute in collaboration with

Australia's Griffith University, which discovered the product.

This plant has been used for hundreds of years by aboriginals of Australia.

The bioactive substance was isolated and tested for its efficacy and toxicity

and proved to be safe for human use and is undergoing clincial trials for

several viral diseases and cancer in different parts of the world.

The product simply kills virus or bacteria, Professor Max Reynolds, Director,

Australian Botanical Medicine for Population Health, Griffith University, who

discovered MAC seven years back said at a conference at the Haffkine Institute

yesterday.

" In India we are collaborating with Dr Harendra Joshi of Joshi Research

Institute to undertake trials of MAC on up to 1,000 adult AIDS patients some

time next week, " Reynold said

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Health--Science/Clinical-trial-of-MAC-on-adul\

t-AIDS-patients/articleshow/4494577.cms