Data mining of historical text uncovers potential medication

AORN Journal,  March, 2007  

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Using data mining techniques, researchers have identified a potential "new" antibacterial medication from a 17th century Dutch text, according to a Dec 28, 2006, news release from the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. The text, Ambonese Herbal, was written in 1650 by Georg Eberhard Rumpf, a German-born naturalist who worked for the Dutch East Indies Company. Rumpf documented the herbal heating traditions on the Indonesian island of Ambon, including observations that the islanders used kernels from the Atun tree to control diarrhea. Early results from a modern study show that extracts from the Atun tree effectively control bacteria that can cause diarrhea.

The herbal tore of many civilizations is quickly becoming lost knowledge. Using new technologies to investigate botanical heating agents recorded in ancient texts may help identify new and better therapies based on these promising natural products.

Mayo Clinic Collaboration Mining of Ancient Herbal Text leads to Potential New Anti-Bacterial Drug [news release]. Rochester, Minn: Mayo Clinic; December 28, 2006. Available at: http://www.mayoclinic.org/news2006-rst/3848.html. Accessed January 5, 2007.

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