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	Periwinkle Treats Leukaemia The Periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus) is frequently grown in gardens or in pots to bring color to the surroundings. It is generally pink or white in color. The leaves of this plant are used to produce the alkaloids vinblastine and vincristine, which are used to treat leukemia. The story of the discovery of this medicinal property of the Periwinkle is quite interesting. Professor Noble and Dr Beer of the University Of Western Ontario, Canada, had heard about the usage of this plant to treat diabetes in Jamaica. They administered an extract of this plant to rabbits to verify its efficacy. However, they found no change in the blood sugar levels of the test rabbits but noticed a decrease in their white blood cell count instead. This piqued their interest and they carried out further tests on the leaves of the plant and eventually identified and isolated the alkaloids vinblastine and vincristine as the cause of the decrease in the white blood cell count. These alkaloids were then successfully tested on animals and eventually on humans. He scientists then worked in tandem with the Eli Lilly laboratories of Indianapolis, USA, to synthesize a drug based on these alkaloids. Cultivation of the periwinkle is carried out on a large scale in South India, where it is known locally as the vinca or sada bahar. The plant is then exported to the Eli Lilly laboratories where it is synthesized into the drug. In order to further research and develop herbal based medications, Eli Lilly has now decided to set up operations in India in collaboration with an Indian pharmaceutical company. Ongoing research work is also being carried out to develop newer strains of the Periwinkle that are more resistant to diseases. One such strain which has been developed is called the W.H. 40.
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