Brazilian mint tea 'is as effective as aspirin'
Date added: 26th November, 2009 at 09:33
(view all articles from November, 2009)
Categories: Natural Resources
Overseas investment in Brazil could be focused on one of the country's less well-known natural resources - herbal tea.
According to scientists at Newcastle University, Hyptis crenata - otherwise known as Brazilian mint - can be as effective a pain reliever as drugs like aspirin.
It is a natural herbal remedy which has been used in the Latin American country for thousands of years to cure a range of aches, pains and illnesses, including headaches, fever and flu.
Researchers at the university have now been able to prove the medicinal properties of the herb by testing it on mice. The study discovered that when it is prepared as a tea, Hyptis crenata gave results which were similar to those for Indometacin, an aspirin-style drug.
Graciela Rocha, a native of Brazil who led the research, said: "Since humans first walked the earth we have looked to plants to provide a cure for our ailments."
According to the Sociedade Brasileira de Farmacognosia, the herb grows to a height of 60-80cm on sandy soil near to streams in the Northern state of Para.
Related Articles
Repsol proposes $15bn investment in Brazil
Date added: 24th November, 2009 at 09:01
(view all articles from November, 2009)
Investment in Brazil's oil industry yields new discovery
Date added: 24th November, 2009 at 09:33
(view all articles from November, 2009)
Petrobras to expand Rio Grande do Norte refinery
Date added: 23rd November, 2009 at 11:37
(view all articles from November, 2009)