 |
||||||||
|
|
 |
|
|
|
We greet you very cordially in these difficult days. Why difficult? The price of oil explodes, the ice in the arctic may well all disappear this year, toxic products like mercury soaps are sold throughout the world without any shame, malaria is becoming more and more resistant and, due to global warming, threatens to become a global catastrophe. Politicians all over the world think more about their own wealth and power than of the survival of humanity. Because of population increase, climate change and the misguided rush for bio-fuels, food prices are escalating, especially in the developing world. There is no other way than to become active, each one of us must risk his life to speak the truth, to become a prophet in the same way as Ezekiel in the Bible (Ezekiel 34,1-4 and Ezekiel 47, 1-23) In other words: we can no longer rely on our political leaders and organisations, not even on the WHO.... We must change our lives, our countries and our world ourselves. To be sure that medicines are not fakes, we must produce them ourselves, and today anamed is very well-known for the household production of effective malaria treatments! Many people may, however, think that the anamed programme is an “Artemisia programme”...not at all! Artemisia is only a symbol of what could be done, if only each country were to take good care of its natural environment and protect and develop its capabilities. In other words: There may be hundreds of plants better than Artemisia to treat malaria...but Artemisia shows us that with a minimum of research, and a minimum of finance, a vast number of lives can be saved! There must be a thousand other plants and projects waiting to be discovered. The potential is enormous, so long as we are focussed on God, His creation, and the welfare of His people. Regarding artemisia tea, we continue to be excited and amazed by the feedback we continually receive. It is helping many people (and animals!) to treat hitherto untreatable diseases, such as cancer and HIV/AIDS.
We are delighted to be an integral part of the growing network of people throughout the (mainly) tropical world who are finding this remarkable plant to be a blessing in very many ways. To our great surprise, artemisia is proving to be a plant that is not only of very great benefit in Africa and other tropical countries, but also here in Europe! What is new? 1. What’s new in our experience of using artemisia tea?
a) Markus Andres is a long-time supporter of anamed in Pfullingen near Stuttgart. A retired priest, he organised many people in his community to grow and harvest artemisia. Then at the age of 79, a malignant tumour on his bladder was diagnosed. He had an operation, and then drank a litre of artemisia tea each day, and took iron tablets. One month later, when he went to the hospital to have the follow-up operation, no trace of the tumour could be found. b) An animal clinic in the north of Germany contacted anamed, asking for an urgent delivery of 2 kg of artemisia tea. They explained that they now prescribe artemisia leaves for every dog with any form of cancer. The least effect it has is to prolong the life of the dog, and in some cases they show a remarkable recovery. c) A medical doctor in Pfullingen regularly prescribes artemisia tea for his cancer and borreliosis patients. We are still waiting, however, for the time when the health insurance companies will recognise and pay for such an effective and at the same time cheap treatment. d) Beatrice Gill has been working in Lalibela in Ethiopia for three quarters of a year. She started giving artemisia tea to her patients, even long before her own plants were mature, with some remarkable results. She writes that artemisia is a plant that brings many blessings, and we are encouraging the local people to grow artemisia themselves. Some of her experiences so far: Two people were paralysed down one side, could walk only with the greatest difficulty and could not move one arm at all. Today, after being treated with Artemisia tea, both can walk without any difficulty, and can use their arm once again. Other people Beatrice has treated have said: e) AIDS patients in Cameroon: In May 2008, for the second time, Hans-Martin Hirt conducted seminars in Cameroon. On his first visit, as always, he had introduced artemisia tea and, for AIDS patients, the additional consumption of moringa leaf powder. During this year’s visit, the monk Father Joseph from Bamenda told him that, as a result of administering Artemisia tea and other plants, he was able to have the same remarkable experience as anamed Tanzania. According to the test in the local clinic, some AIDS patients became HIV negative again. However sceptical one may be about the test result, what cannot be challenged is the dramatic improvement in the health and strength of these patients. f) Hildegard W. from Thüringen suffered cancer, which has now been stabilised, thanks in part to artemisia tea. Now she writes, “early this year I had two very bad infections. Having such a weak immune system means that I am regularly attacked by viruses, each one more aggressive than the last. Since I react very badly to antibiotics, the only thing available to me is artemisia tea. Words are not enough to thank you for this tea....” Note: If you want further information about the use of artemisia tea in treating cancer, please order the document “Artemisia annua anamed: Malaria and other diseases”, order number 204 (English), 202 (German) and 203 (French). On this home-page there is information in German here. 2. What is new in artemisia cultivation?
A) Belay Bekele undertook field trials in Ethiopia supervised by Hohenheim University in Germany. The abstract of his thesis states: “This study aimed at assessing the growth performance of A-3 and changes of its artemisinin content as affected by environmental conditions. Therefore, field trials were established during October 2006 and July 2007 at three locations in the Gamo Gofa Highlands of SW Ethiopia. Sites varied in altitude, climate and soils. Artemisia performance was monitored by monthly collecting plant samples to determine plant growth and variations in artemisinin content. Artemisinin was determined by using the High Pressure Liquid Chromatographic (HPLC) method. Results indicated strong environmental impacts on crop growth, dry matter production and artemisinin synthesis. An altitude of 2,200 m a.s.l. with a minimum and maximum temperature of 17.3 and 24.5°C led to a better performance (Dry leaves: 2.9 vs. 1.4-1.7 t/ha; artemisinin: 1.07 vs. 0.57-0.91%) than higher elevations (2,600-2,900 m a.s.l.) and lower temperatures (8.4/18.3 and 10.4/16.3°C). It was also observed that a lower but well distributed rainfall (480 vs. 850-1050 mm) found at the lower elevation was also favourable for artemisia growth.” B) Moritz Reckling at the University in Kassel studied the cultivation of Artemisia annua and found a) The artemisinin content is higher when the plant is never short of water, and at relatively low temperatures (i.e. around 20°C) b)The plant grows best c) Artemisia grows well when mixed with other plants, and the artemisia helps to protect other plants from pests. d) The plant tends to flower when 3. Many more projects are embracing artemisia tea for use in the treatment of malaria. a) The Malaria Prevention Project (MPP) – based in the Netherlands and active in the Gambia – see http://www.kindereningambia.nl/mpp/uk/index2.html b) For the past two or three years, the World Agro-forestry Centre has been using anamed seeds in Mozambique and Zimbabwe, working alongside other agencies - see http://www.worldagroforestry.org/news/archives.asp?NewsID=%7B32C239E6-2CE6-4349-919F-E758CA15AB87%7D and http://www.worldagroforestrycentre.org/Downloads/TransQ%20p3.Pdf c) The association “Iwerliewen fir bedreete Volleker” based in Luxemburg have projects in several countries, see http://africasciencenews.org/asns/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=379&Itemid=1 d) The National Centre for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Ibadan, Nigeria. As a result of attending a seminar in Tamale, Ghana, in March 2008, Giwa Alexander has established an excellent nursery of artemisia plants, which he looks forward to using in the surrounding community. 4. What’s new in research? a) Artemisia annua tea kills bacteria – see http://plutgen.wordpress.com/2008/05/15/artemisia-annua-tea-kills-bacteria/ b) An undated paper about the effectiveness of artemisinin in treating cancer – see http://www.drlam.com/A3R_brief_in_doc_format/Artemisinin.cfm c) “Artemisinin ‘promising` as leishmaniasis treatment”, according to research conducted in India and reported in the Journal of Medical Microbiology - see http://www.scidev.net/en/news/artemisinin-promising-as-leishmaniasis-treatment.html 5. What is new in anamed?
a) The third edition of the yellow booklet, which we always refer to as the Seminar Handbook. It is now enlarged with 56 pages, and renamed “Natural Medicine in the Tropics: II Seminar Handbook”. Still at the old price! 7 Euro, with reductions for orders in quantity. b) An anamed CD. This has been prepared in German, and includes many presentations and documents, some in German and some in English. Order number 434. Cost: 20 Euro. We hope to have a English version available by the end of the year. Other items of interest 1. Artemisia annua contains a cocktail of phytochemical antimalarial components. This list was given to us by Professor James Duke, a renowned ethnobotanist from the USA.
2. Beware of fake malaria drugs! It has been known for a long time that in south-east Asia there are many fake drugs. According to the Kenyan newspaper the Daily Nation, 16% of the antimalaria drugs in Kenya are fake (10 June 2008). Others believe that this figure is more than 50%. Thank you for your active participation in the programme of learning ever more about the cultivation and use of Artemisia annua anamed. We wish you every success in your lives and work. Please keep feeding us information about your experiences, your successes and failures, so that our knowledge continues to develop – for the benefit of all the people with whom we work. With best wishes, Hans-Martin Hirt, Keith Lindsey
Email: Hans-Martin Hirt: anamedhmh (at) yahoo.de |