RE: Rust-free Hollyhocks


Susan,

that tidbit was mentioned in passing.  The entire article is actually about
turning plants into medicine cabinets, so to speak.  Aspirin, for example,
was originally extracted from the bark of the willow tress.  She gave the
example of hollyhock and wormwood as an example of how plants' roots can
release chemical compounds that are beneficial.

The article is very technical (as you might expect in a journal like NEW
SCIENTIST) but a good read considering the experiments that are being ran
nowadays.  For instance, they have proven that if you farm tobacco
hydroponically in a bath of water and nutrients, you can trick it into
thinking that it was under attack from bacteria or fungi.  The plant's
"immune system" responded to the threat and released an amazing array of
chemicals.  By farming in water, it was easy for the scientists to extract
those beneficial chemicals.  Lupin roots, in response to chitosan, released
20 times as much of an anticancer substance, genistein, into the water.
Another way to "harvest" these beneficial chemicals is to make the leaves
"sweat", and simply wipe off the nutrient-rich moisture.

The article goes on:  "Only time will tell if plant-drived proteins provoke
immune reactions in humans.  But there should be one important advantage:
proteins derived from other mammals can be infected with viruses that may
jump species.  Plant-derived proteins could be safer, as there is little
risk that they will be infected with viruses."

They would like to see a future where plants could be used to take toxic
wastes from the soil or chemically alter them.  They also believe that
there could be a day where if we feed certain plants with a nutrient
"bath", we could harvest our own medications in our window sills.

Certainly off-topic, but fascinating none-the-less.

Val in KY

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