How appropriate that we gathered at a place called Eden Garden to learn that Dr Henry Lowe's Jamaican plant extracts may well yield the long-awaited cure for cancer. Lowe had been nursing, developing, testing the two plant extracts for decades.

Jean Lowrie-Chin

As he moved from the labs of CAST (now UTech) to the government offices of the Ministry of Science and the Environment that he founded as permanent secretary in the '80s, to Blue Cross of Jamaica, and now to his post-retirement hub, the extracts have been his constant companions. His close friends know that he has been taking them from refrigerator to refrigerator under carefully controlled conditions over the years.

Lowe is the consummate scientist, a meticulous man who believes that there is absolutely no substitute for intrepid research and impeccable record keeping. He has stamped his reputation for excellence on each step of his career, from academia to government to private sector, to entrepreneurship. Lowe established the Environmental Health Foundation in 2000 at his Lady Musgrave Road business complex, Eden Gardens, where he juggles several business and wellness projects.

Even as we saw the public persona, this well-suited, well-travelled Henry Lowe, the young scientist in him has remained fully immersed in the possibilities of the plants that grew so plentifully around him. The child who examined plants and listened keenly to the old folks speak of miraculous cures, remained quick and curious, confident that one day he would make his mark on the world. The ardent scientist has sought to educate us through his many books, journals and the popular press.

Professor Errol Morrison who chaired the presentation, drew an analogy as he saw representatives from both sides of the political fence take their seats in the packed room: "The reggae master brought the two political factions together, now these reggae extracts are doing the same thing!"

Henry Lowe gave us some interesting facts. His extracts come from two indigenous Jamaican plants, so we could have an amazing new brand, bearing in mind that in 2005, the value of plant-derived medicinal products was US$16.41 billion.

One of the most successful anti-tumour agents used to treat cancer is a drug marketed as Taxol (Paclitaxel). "Much of its effectiveness is restricted due to its strong side effects when used at the required therapeutic doses," said Lowe. While various combinations with this drug have been tried to reduce the side effects, only a combination with Lowe's plant isolates "produced a significant growth-inhibitory effect and apoptosis, with no observed toxicity".

Dr Henry Lowe (left) and Dr Joseph Bryant (centre) with patent expert, attorney Royal Craig at last Tuesday's presentation.

Henry Lowe was involved in the initial stages of the research that yielded one of the world's best-known natural product-derived treatments for glaucoma, Canasol, from the ganja plant. Little did I know, when I helped to plan the launch of Canasol in the '80s for Federated Pharmaceuticals highlighting the work of Dr Albert Lockhart and Dr Manley West, that a third person, Dr Henry Lowe, should have shared the limelight that day at the Jamaica Conference Centre. But as the saying goes, "Time longer than rope".

Back to that hushed room last Tuesday, when, in his soft Alabama accent, Dr Joseph Bryant told us of his amazing findings. Bryant heads the Institute of Human Virology (IHV) Animal Models Division at the University of Maryland, and played a major role in creating the first transgenic rats, with human genetic features, opening up new areas of research for scientists. It is this discovery, linked to the strict research protocol that has fuelled optimism and active interest in Dr Lowe's work.

We saw remarkable results with the use of Henry Lowe's extracts on five types of cancers: B-16 Melanoma (skin cancer), kaposi's sarcoma, breast cancer, prostate cancer and B-cell Lymphoma. Dr Bryant shared with us charts for in vitro (test tube) experiments and photographs of the actual lab rats before and after in vivo treatment showing the dramatic results of tumour shrinkage and destruction within seven to 10 days!

As we came to grips with the photographs and charts unfolding before us, and the huge potential of these extracts codenamed "LM" and "JM", we understood the importance of having at the head table a lawyer versed and experienced in intellectual property rights in the health sector, Royal Craig. These extracts may turn out to be one of the most valuable assets of the century.

Like Henry Lowe and Joseph Bryant, Royal Craig is a master in his own field, a patent attorney with the highly respected law firm Ober/Kaler with over 160 attorneys in Baltimore, Maryland. Craig told us that a Provisional Patent Application was filed in the USA on December 8, 2006, the subject being: "Anti-tumour and anti-inflammatory extracts of two indigenous plants from Jamaica." We are relieved to know that this preserves all patent rights for up to one year, allowing Dr Lowe "to freely discuss, secure capital, fully commercialised products and processes".

Minister Phillip Paulwell declared that "we have secrets locked in our culture and our roots" and that his government would support Lowe's research "not only in word but in deed". Dr Ken Baugh, who was a UWI classmate of Dr Lowe, said this was a deserving cause and recalled that because of scarce resources, research on the humble Jamaican periwinkle moved overseas to Canada where its extract is now used as one of the most effective treatments for leukaemia, enriching Canada's coffers.

Since Tuesday, Henry Lowe's telephone has not stopped ringing, with interest being expressed by international drug companies and investors who are not allowing the grass to grow under their feet. Taxol sales are now over US$6 billion a year. With Lowe's discovery doing as well as and in some cases better than Taxol, imagine what it could do for the Jamaican economy if it gets local backing.

"This is not a story just for Negril to Morant Point, but for the North to South Poles," Prof Morrison declared, and recalled the saying of a great man: "The future of our country is predicated on its past." Discerning the future prospects for Henry Lowe's past efforts, Morrison translated it thus: "You ain't seen nothing yet!"

My plea: Even the most hopeful among us must acknowledge that our national security is in crisis. We need the best minds and more willing hands. All church groups must join with civil society to get this country back on track. Too much is being expected of too few.

lowriechin@aim.com

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