Australian Plant Scientist Offers New Hope For Malaria Treatment

Australian scientist Geoff McFadden spoke in Jakarta on Wednesday to explain how malaria can be treated using new drugs and herbicides meant to kill plants.

Speaking at the Australian Embassy in Jakarta, Professor McFadden said his research revealed that the malaria parasite was originally a plant-like organism that survived by photosynthesis.

“We have found major genetic traces of a plant-like metabolism in malaria parasites. This tells us that the parasite moved from its life in the ocean as a unicellular plant to a new parasitic lifestyle in human blood.”

“Importantly, this revelation has offered us new ways to combat the disease using drugs and herbicides initially designed to kill plants.”

“We have found that these herbicidal compounds, some of which are non-toxic to humans, work against malaria too,” Professor McFadden said.

The visit by Professor McFadden was hosted by the Indonesian Academy of Sciences and the Australian Embassy as part of an ongoing series of lectures aimed at boosting scientific exchanges and networks between Indonesia and Australia.

Deputy Head of Mission at the Australian Embassy, Paul Robilliard, said Professor McFadden’s research demonstrated the excellence in Australian scientific and medical research.

“We’re very proud to bring Professor McFadden to Indonesia, a botanist of international standing. His research offers hope to eradicate malaria, a disease that exacts a heavy toll of illness and death in many tropical regions,” Mr Robilliard said.

Malaria is a major global health problem. The World Health Organization estimates that 500 million are infected and 1 million people die each year. There is currently no vaccine and the parasite is now resistant to most existing drugs.

But malaria can be cured if promptly diagnosed and adequately treated.

According to the World Health Organisation, in Indonesia malaria is concentrated in Papua, Maluku, Nusa Tenggara, Sulawesi, Kalimantan and Sumatra.

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