Out of Nature: Why Drugs from Plants Matter to the Future of Humanity

6. Out of Nature

119 6 Out of Nature Ginkgo biloba. 120 out of nature nature is undergoing a steady process of deterioration. Its diversity has dwindled at a rate that has been nearly imperceptible to our species, a species now relatively out of touch with nature. But to those few among us who routinely experience and study nature, its peril and promise are unsettlingly conspicuous. We can dwell on the peril in which nature now finds itself, but its promise—its potential, in its fully wild and natural state, to make our lives better—is especially intriguing. Discovering and rediscovering its wonders gives us an opportunity to revisit and explore the roots of our own species. And as recent ventures to investigate habitats and to catalog species have suggested, our return is fulfilling and necessary. Many things remain to be discovered in nature and to come out of nature, and so there is much, despite our struggling world, to be hopeful for. Over the course of the last century, the health and survival of humanity have become increasingly dependent on conventional medicine and its drugs. On one end of the spectrum exist the drugs that relieve our aches and pains and that allow us to continue to function in our everyday lives. On the opposite end are vaccines, antibiotics, and antivirals, the only barriers separating us from potential global disasters caused by infectious disease. Many of our most reliable agents have come out of nature, and for nearly the whole of human history, the practice of healing and curing disease has depended on the vitality of plants. Our ancestors were unaware of the causes of many of their ailments, but they relied on the prolific leaves and the stems, roots, and bark of plants to work healing miracles. Plants were steadfast in times when humans knew little about how the natural world worked, when supernatural capacities were ascribed to natural phenomena. During the Enlightenment , knowledge was acquired about Earth’s many different types of creatures and how they function. Plants became known for photosynthesis and the conversion of carbon dioxide to oxygen, abilities generally unrelated to medicine. These discoveries astonished the scientific community. They united major components of Earth’s atmosphere and the ability of animals to respire with the ability of plants to grow—a connection that few had postulated. The discoveries also came at the time when the exotic finds of plant hunters like Joseph Banks and Joseph Dalton Hooker renewed the sense of Out of Nature 121 appreciation for the diversity and beauty of plants. Later, the influence of nitrogen on plant growth was discovered, catapulting crops into the spotlight of agriculture. Prairie grasses, plants of swamplands , and even desert cactus—plants that form the cornerstones of their ecosystems—lie defenseless against acres upon acres of fertilized and irrigated plants pampered and patronized by humans. Plants today are broadly conceived of as domesticated things, mainly in the contexts of food and agriculture. The importance of Earth’s vegetation to medicine and ecosystems has been eclipsed by the colossal scale of the subordination of plants to the basic level of monocultured food source. Our relationship with medicinal plants, on the other hand, is very different and quite unique. Unlike food plants, which our ancestors domesticated and therefore changed genetically, most medicinal plants are wild, unchanged by human hands. This, in addition to the many ancient stories of their ability to relieve symptoms of illness, gives these plants an unusual mystique. As more has become known about plants, it has become clear that they are not only extraordinarily important to modern medicine, but against the backdrop of increasing knowledge of the world’s climate and environment, many species are extremely fragile. The rarity of many medicinal species in the wild and the inability of rare species to survive under cultivation have defied the will and the strength of humans. Still, we find ourselves drawn to them, fascinated by them. In attempting to understand these species, the realization of their significance to modern science, to human survival, and to Earth’s biodiversity has brought new meaning to medicine and conservation. The majority of remedies used in systems of medicine that have been practiced since ancient times are plant based. Most of the people who rely on these medicines live in countries in Asia and Africa, where traditional medicine is practiced exclusively by about four-fifths of the population. Such remedies, however, are relevant not only in societies where the presence of conventional medicine...