Maoriby both Maori and non-Maori New Zealanders is ensuring that current
knowledge is both stored and expanded. Traditional uses of plants have been
taken as indicators of chemical content and pharmacological activity and
hence possible commercial value. There is disquiet among some older Maoris
that this research involving use of local knowledge might be exploited by over-
seas interests to the detriment of New Zealand people and certainly this is a
factor that must be recognised as a potential problem in all countries not yet
protected by international agreements. Overall, however, the future for tradi-
tional medicine is looking bright as more and more people are recognising the
value of such treatments, to be used not instead of ‘western’ medicines but as
complementary to them.
Further reading
Brooker SG, Cambie RC, Cooper RC. New Zealand Medicinal Plants. Auckland: Reed Books,
1998.
Cox PA, Banack SA. Eds. Islands, Plants and Polynesians. Portland, OR; Dioscorides Press,
1991.
Cribb AB, Cribb JQ. Wild Medicine in Australia. Sydney: Fontana/Collins, 1983.
Macpherson C, Macpherson L. Samoan Medical Belief and Practice. Auckland: Auckland
University Press, 1990.
Southwell I, Lowe R, eds. Tea Tree. The Genus Melaleuca. Melbourne: Harwood Academic
Publishers, 1999.
Weiner MA. Secrets of Fijian Medicine. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1984.
Whistler WA. Polynesian Herbal Medicine. Hawaii: The National Tropical Botanical Garden,
1992
More information
Te Rongoa – Maori Herbal Medicine: http://pharmacy.otago.ac.nz/rongoa/index.html
(accessed November 2007)
Fallon F, Enig MG. Australian Aborigines – Living off the Fat of theLand: http://www.weston-
aprice.org/traditional_diets/australian_aborigines.html (accessed November 2007)
Dittmar A. Samoan Herbal Medicine: http://www.dittmar.dusnet.de/english/esamoa.html (accessed
November 2007)
Moulds RFW, Jalani J. Kava: herbal panacea or liver poison? (Electronic) Med J Aust
2003; 178 :451–3. Available at: http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/178_09_050503/mou
10043_fm.html (accessed November 2007)
References
- Maiden JH. The Useful Native Plants of Australia. Sydney: Turner & Henderson, 1889.
Cited in Lassak and McCarthy,^2 p 13. - Lassak VA, McCarthy T. Australian Medicinal Plants. Sydney: Reed New Holland, 2001:
13 - Maiden JH. The Forest Flora of New South Wales, vol 4. Sydney: 1911. Cited Lassak and
McCarthy,^2 p 106. - Maiden JH. The Forest Flora of New South Wales, vol 7. Sydney: 1922. Cited in Lassak
and McCarthy,^2 p 22.
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