KINGSTON, Jamaica — Twenty-eight years of dedicated research on one of the indigenous plants of Jamaica, petiveria aalliacea (guinea hen weed), has landed Adjunct Professor in the College of Health Sciences at the University of Technology, Jamaica Dr Lawrence Williams and co researcher Dr George Levy (USA) a patent with the United States for the discovery of anti-cancer activity of the plant.

The invention involves the isolation of the active ingredient dibenzyl trisulphide (DTS), according to a release from the university.

DTS is classified as a polysulphide mitogen with a wide spectrum of activity including anti-proliferation and or anti-cytotoxic effect on human cancer cell lines. DTS also acts to stimulate the production of stem cells from bone marrow and thymus with very little toxic effects.

Dr Williams joined the College of Health Sciences in 2016 and has been involved in plant-based research at both the graduate and undergraduates levels.

Dr Williams obtained his PhD from the University of the West Indies followed by post-doctoral studies at the University of Hohenheim, Institute for Chemistry, Stuttgart, Germany. He is an accomplished researcher with over 70 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters on plant-based medicine.

His extensive research profile had made him the recipient of numerous awards and fellowships including the 2013 Honoured Member for Research, Continental Who’s Who, USA; 2011 Silver Musgrave Medal for Outstanding Merit in the Field of Science (Scientific Research) from the Institute of Jamaica; Induction into the International Biographical Centre (IBC), Hall of Fame, Cambridge, UK (2004), among many other awards.

Dr Williams’ current work at UTech, Jamaica also includes the supervision of a post-graduate research project on anti-inflammatory activity of curcumin and canabidial and undergraduate research projects on insecticidal activity of Neem extracts and malathiam and Antibacterial activity of Neem extracts.