New molecule could tackle hard-to-treat infections

Source: IBN. A diagram of the four-step killing mechanism of the polymer against drug-resistant superbugs.
Step 1: Binding of the positively-charged polymer to the bacteria cell surface;
2: Neutralising the positive charges of the polymer to enter the bacterial cell membrane,
3: Penetrating into the bacterial cyotoplasm, a fluid that fills the cell, and
4: Precipitating the cytoplasmic substances to kill the bacterium.

An international research team led by Singapore's Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (IBN) of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) and IBM Research have developed a synthetic molecule that can kill five deadly types of multidrug-resistant bacteria. Similar solutions tend to have bad side effects but this molecule has limited, if any, side effects, the researchers said.

The new material could be developed into an antimicrobial drug to treat patients with antibiotic-resistant infections. The finding was reported* in Nature Communications.

According to the UK Review on Antimicrobial Resistance, superbugs kill around 700,000 people worldwide each year. By 2050, 10 million people could die each year if existing antibiotics continue to lose their effectiveness, as is expected to happen. 

“There is an urgent global need for new antimicrobials that are effective against superbugs. The situation has become more acute because bacteria are starting to develop resistance to the last-line antibiotics, which are given only to patients infected with bacteria resistant to available antibiotics,” said Professor Jackie Ying, Executive Director of IBN.

The research community is developing alternatives to antibiotics using synthetic polymers. However, the antimicrobial polymers developed so far are either too toxic for clinical use, not biodegradable or can only target one type of bacteria.

To address this problem, Dr Yi Yan Yang from IBN brought together a multidisciplinary research team from the US, China and Singapore to develop a new class of antimicrobial polymers called guanidinium-functionalised polycarbonates. These polymers have a unique killing mechanism that can target a broad range of multidrug-resistant bacteria. They are also biodegradable and non-toxic to human cells.

The polymer kills bacteria by entering the bacterial cell, which is not normally possible. First, the polymer binds specifically (piggybacks) to the bacterial cell. This allows the polymer to be transported across the bacterial cell membrane into the cell contents, where it causes precipitation (creation of solids from the liquid) of the cell contents (proteins and genes), killing the cell.

The team tested the polymers on mice infected with five hard-to-treat multidrug-resistant bacteria: Acinetobacter baumannii, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureu (MRSA) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. These superbugs can be found in hospitals and can lead to septic shock and multiple organ failure.

The tests showed that the bacteria were effectively removed from the mice, and no toxicity - negative side effects - was observed. The researchers then further tested the effectiveness of the polymers on mice with two types of bacterial infections caused by superbugs: peritonitis, an often-fatal infection of the stomach’s inner lining, and lung infections from Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The polymers eliminated the infections in both groups of mice with negligible toxicity.

Dr Yi Yan Yang, Group Leader at IBN said, “We have demonstrated the first example of a biodegradable synthetic macromolecule with broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity in mice, unique killing mechanism and no toxicity. Once the polymer finishes its job of killing the bacteria, it will be naturally degraded after three days and will not remain in the body. This antimicrobial agent shows great promise for the treatment and prevention of multidrug-resistant systemic infections.”

 “This study illustrates the potential for this new research field we denote as ‘macromolecular therapeutics’ to create entirely new classes of treatments for multiple diseases,” said Dr James Hedrick, Distinguished Research Staff Member, IBM Research – Almaden, San Jose, California in the US. “In 2016, we demonstrated the efficacy of synthetic polymers to combat deadly viral diseases. The current research for treating bacterial infections rounds out our ability to someday treat a spectrum of infectious diseases with a single, new type of mechanism without the onset of resistance.”

To determine whether the bacteria will develop any resistance to the polymer, the team collaborated with Dr Paola Florez de Sessions at A*STAR’s Genome Institute of Singapore and the Cell Engineering group of Dr Simone Bianco at IBM Research – Almaden to perform genomic analysis. They found that the bacteria did not show any resistance development even after multiple treatments with the polymer.

This study was also done in collaboration with the University of North Dakota’s School of Medicine and Health Sciences, and the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University’s College of Medicine.

IBN and IBM are now seeking collaborations with pharmaceutical companies to develop the polymers into a commercial treatment.

The Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (IBN) is the world’s first bioengineering and nanotechnology research institute. Established in 2003, IBN aims to improve healthcare and quality of life.

*Willy Chin, Guansheng Zhong, Qinqin Pu, Chuan Yang, Weiyang Lou, Paola Florez de Sessions, Balamurugan Periaswamy, Ashlynn Lee, Zhen Chang Liang, Xin Ding, Shujun Gao, Collins Wenhan Chu, Simone Bianco, Chang Bao, Yen Wah Tong, Weimin Fan, Min Wu, James L. Hedrick and Yi Yan Yang, A Macromolecular Approach to Eradicate Multidrug Resistant Bacterial Infections While Mitigating Drug Resistance Onset, Nature Communications, 9 (2018) 917.

Allergy tests for Asians now available through Angsana

Angsana Molecular & Diagnostics Laboratory today announced that it will provide tests for allergen sensitisation specific for the Asian population using technology from Thermo Fisher Scientific. The tests will be based on Thermo Fisher's ImmunoCAP (CAP) technology and performed by Phadia Laboratory Systems.

While many allergens are common across populations, there has been increased recognition that there are differences among different ethnic groups and across different geographic regions. Factors such as genetics, environmental exposure, diet and social behaviour appear to contribute to this.

Angsana is seeking to define and validate specific tests for allergen sensitisation that are suited to local needs. ImmunoCAP technology is well known for its high specificity and sensitivity, quantitative results, high quality and a comprehensive menu of allergens and allergen components.

"Angsana is committed to deliver high-performance and affordable molecular diagnostic services to meet the health demand of Asian population. We are excited to work with Thermo Fisher and its technology to help us expand our service capabilities to better address this major public health concern," said Dr Chris Tan, CEO, Angsana.

"With the rising incidence of atopic* diseases, particularly among younger children, it is important to better understand the regional and ethnic differences in Asian countries," said Dr Richard Choy, Angsana's Chief Scientific Officer and MD, Angsana Hong Kong laboratory. "Through collaboration with local medical experts and healthcare providers, Angsana aims to provide a testing solution for Asia, in order to help improve the diagnosis efficiency and aid better allergy management."

"We're pleased that Angsana recognises our quality and expertise and we are pleased that our technology can be used to support their efforts," said Stefan Wolf, President, ImmunoDiagnostics, Thermo Fisher. "Providing tests for allergen sensitisation for the Asian population will help to enable healthcare professionals to have a better understanding of the symptoms of their patients."

Angsana has recently acquired Allergy Laboratory, a Singapore-based private laboratory with over 10-year experience serving in the allergy testing business. "The acquisition enables us to combine the existing tests and dedicated expertise from Allergy Laboratory with the range of premium molecular assays from Angsana, providing an expanded, high-quality diagnostic services under the CAP-accredited environment," said Dr Tan.

*Atopic diseases refer to situations where an allergy-causing substance touching one part of the body affect a completely different part of the body.

New type 2 diabetes medicines to boost market in Southeast Asia

Late-stage pipeline products have the potential to change how type 2 diabetes is treated today, says GBI Research. The business intelligence firm forecasts that the Southeast Asian type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) market, covering South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia, will rise from US$1.7 billion in 2015 to US$2.7 billion by 2022, at a CAGR of 7.1%.

Aswini Nath, Analyst for GBI Research, explains: “Unmet needs relating to patient convenience and ease of use will be addressed significantly over the forecast period. Higher levels of innovation are apparent in the early-stage pipeline, which may lead to considerable improvements beyond the existing range of products, in terms of safety and efficacy in the long term.

“In terms of recently approved therapeutics, GLP-1 receptor agonists, DPP-4 inhibitors, and SGLT-2 inhibitors* have already achieved strong market uptake and are all expected to increase their market shares over the forecast period. In comparison with many previously marketed therapies, these new products provide improved weight control and lowered hypoglycemia risk.”

The company named Novo Nordisk’s NN-9535 (semaglutide subcutaneous formulation) and OG-217SC (semaglutide oral formulation) and Eli Lilly’s Trulicity (dulaglutide), which are GLP-1 receptor agonists; as well as Merck’s ertugliflozin and Theracos's bexagliflozin, which are SGLT-2 inhibitors; and Merck’s omarigliptin, which is a DPP-4 inhibitor, as products close to commercialisation which "stand out as offering superior safety, efficacy, and patient compliance".

Of these products, GBI Research believes that OG-217SC, being a first-to-market oral formulation in the GLP-1 agonist class of drug, has the most potential to change the treatment paradigm due to its improved administration route compared to other drugs in the same class.

However, Nath added that popular treatment metformin (Glucophage) will continue to dominate treatment options. “Although increased uptake of branded drugs is expected, metformin – a low-cost generic drug – will maintain its pivotal role in the T2DM treatment algorithm in Southeast Asia. Due to its well-characterised safety and efficacy profiles, wide availability and low cost, metformin will continue to be prescribed as the first-line pharmacotherapy and also remain the favored option for use in combination therapies,” he said.


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Buy Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Therapeutics in South-East Asia Markets to 2022 – Increasing Usage of Newer Therapies and Expanding Treatment Population to Encourage Robust Growth

*GLP-1 stands for glucagon-like peptide-1 and DPP-4 is short for dipeptidyl peptidase 4. Both GLP-1 receptor agonists improve glycemic control while reducing body weight while DPP-4 improves glycemic control. Both also improve systolic blood pressure in patients with type 2 diabetes. Read more about GLP-1 receptor agonists in Diabetes Care.

SGLT-2 or sodium-glucose linked transporter refers to the SGLT for the proximal convoluted tubule, a part of the kidney system, as opposed to SGLT-1, which affects the proximal straight tubule. Read more about SGLT-2 inhibitors in Diabetes Care.

Meet moringa, the superfood

Green Virgin Products, a provider of responsibly harvested and ecofriendly moringa products, has released a new guide about the benefits of moringa.

Green Virgin calls moringa a 'superfood', quoting studies finding that a single serving of the powder (in capsule form) contains over 40 antioxidants, 70 nutrients, 8 amino acids and a long list of vitamins, minerals and anti-inflammatories. The company uses a far-infrared drying system to dry the moringa within hours of harvest, then package it within eight hours of harvest in triple-layer, resealable packages that contain a specially designed oxygen absorber in the pouch to help prevent sun damage and oxidation.

Moringa (M. oleifera) trees are also called drumstick or horseradish trees. The leaves, roots, flowers, bark, sap and fruit have been used traditionally, some for food and some for folk medicine. Pubmed research dating as far back as 2007 have outlined moringa's pharmacological properties. As recently as 2015, a Phytotherapy Research abstract noted: "A rapidly growing number of published studies have shown that aqueous, hydroalcohol, or alcohol extracts of M. oleifera leaves possess a wide range of additional biological activities including antioxidant, tissue protective (liver, kidneys, heart, testes, and lungs), analgesic, antiulcer, antihypertensive, radioprotective, and immunomodulatory actions."

A 2012 meta-study of moringa in past studies showed indications that it can help people with diabetes or fatty livers, with better glucose tolerance if used over time. Another 2012 study also noted that it seems to be beneficial for diabetes. A 2014 experiment on moringa leaf extracts in cold water separately showed that it could damage lung cancer cells with much less damage to normal cells.

It has not been established however which formulations of moringa extracts are the most effective for various outcomes, and the results not strictly apples-to-apples as the moringa was prepared differently in different research reports. Researchers have also pointed out that research subjects might unconsciously act to fulfil a certain outcome if they know that they are taking moringa.

Interested?

Read the guide online

Use the coupon code 10OFF to save 10% off an online order. Green Virgin ships internationally

More non-drug trreatments used to address depression

While depression is on the rise, the global drug market is seeing a decline as sufferers turn to alternative treatments, says research firm Technavio.

Its report on the global depression drugs market forecasts a CAGR of -6.64% from 2015 to 2019. "The prevalence of depression has become very high because of factors like genetic vulnerability, lack of proper diagnosis and treatment and a high degree of association with other disorders like diabetes, stroke and cardiovascular diseases,” says Faisal Ghaus, Vice President of Technavio. 

"Many patients are opting for complementary and alternative medicines, in combination with conventional treatments. These therapies can include relaxation techniques, massage, meditation, counseling, and art therapy. Homeopathic and naturopathic medicines have also been found to be helpful in treating depression. These effective alternatives are expected to erode the market share of drugs currently being used for the treatment of depression over the projected period.” 

Abbott brings Freestyle Libre Pro System for glucose monitoring to India

The prevalence of type II diabetes is increasing in young adults in Asia, according to research from the Asia Diabetes Foundation (ADF). The ADF has funded research* together with Merck showing that 18% of the people recruited into its Joint Asia Diabetes Evaluation (JADE) study from nine Asian countries and territories were under the age of 40 when they were diagnosed with diabetes, a condition called young-onset diabetes.

While Merck offers a drug called Janumet XR to address type II diabetes, Abbott is tackling the treatment of the disease with a wearable that offers doctors more insights into patients' blood glucose levels over the long term.

Source: Abbott website. The FreeStyle Libre System at work. The FreeStyle Libre Pro System is designed to be used by healthcare professionals, rather than by patients themselves.

"India now carries 20% of the global burden of diabetes," said Robert Ford, Senior VP, Diabetes Care, Abbott. "There is an immense need for people in India to better manage their diabetes, enabling them to live healthier lives. Abbott's FreeStyle Libre Pro System is designed to empower doctors in India to help their patients through rich data and actionable insights."

The FreeStyle Libre Pro Flash Glucose Monitoring System consists of a small, round sensor—slightly larger than a 10 rupee coin (the size of a US quarter). A healthcare professional applies the sensor on the back of the patient's upper arm. The sensor is held in place with a self-adhesive pad and remains on the back of the arm for up to 14 days, requiring no patient interaction.

When applied to the skin, the sensor continuously measures glucose in interstitial fluid through a small (5mm long, 0.4mm wide) filament that is inserted just under the skin. It records glucose levels every 15 minutes, capturing up to 1,340 glucose results over 14 days, giving doctors comprehensive data for a complete glycemic profile of their patients. After 14 days, the person returns to the doctor's office, where the doctor uses a FreeStyle Libre Pro reader device to download the glucose results that are stored in the sensor in as quickly as five seconds.

"Diabetes is already at epidemic proportions and there is an urgent need to manage it better," said Dr V Mohan, Director and Chief of Diabetes Research at Madras Diabetes Research Foundation. "Current diabetes monitoring tools are limiting for doctors because they don't reveal a complete picture of the glucose variability that a person goes through during a day. The revolutionary flash glucose monitoring system will be very useful for doctors in getting complete glucose profiles of their patients. This will help us in our clinical decision making as well as in personalising treatment plans for better outcomes."

"Current systems for continuous measurement of glucose are cumbersome and require regular finger-pricking to ensure they are calibrated correctly for accuracy," said Jared Watkin, Divisional VP, Technical Operations, Diabetes Care, Abbott. "Based on insights from our customers, the focus for our design team has been to innovate for these challenges, while also providing affordability. We're proud that FreeStyle Libre Pro System achieves that for people with diabetes."

Abbott's FreeStyle Libre Pro system will be available to doctors in coming weeks in six Indian cities including Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Pune and Trivandrum.

According to the International Diabetes Federation, India today has a diabetes population of 65.1 million compared to 50.8 million in 2010**. A recent survey conducted by the Association of Physicians of India (API) and sponsored by Abbott*** showed that 90% of people surveyed with uncontrolled diabetes in India, defined as HbA1c levels higher than 7%, continue to believe that they have control over their glucose levels, despite facts suggesting otherwise. 

The Diabetic Society of Singapore has estimated that over 400,000 people or 11.3% of the population suffer from diabetes, while Singapore's Khoo Teck Puat Hospital has found that two-thirds of its diabetes patients under 30 have the type II form. 

*Metabolic profiles and treatment gaps in young-onset type 2 diabetes in Asia (the JADE programme): a cross-sectional study of a prospective cohort, The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, e-publication July 2014, print publication December 2014.

**http://www.idf.org/BRIDGES/map/india

***The Abbott Sugar Survey, February 2015

Guardian Health & Beauty launches interactive e-commerce portal

Guardian Health & Beauty, Singapore’s most established health and beauty chain, has just launched a US$1.3 million e-commerce portal for health and beauty that not only offers the entire range available at the Guardian stores, but also curated content, and virtual healthcare consultations.

Source: Guardian website.

Said Sarah Boyd, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at Guardian Health & Beauty: "Singapore is the first to debut such a comprehensive e-commerce site across the Guardian Health & Beauty network in Asia. Our decision was motivated by the fact that consumers here are avid digital shoppers and are increasingly turning to online resources for their health and beauty needs."

"People are expecting to find products online. We're making sure we're present where our customers expect us to be present, especially for health and beauty," she added, noting that Google data in 2014 shows consumers in Singapore run an average of 11 million health and beauty searches monthly, including 2 million searches for vitamins and supplements alone.

“Singaporeans take a very proactive approach to their health. The per capita spend on vitamins and supplements is higher in Singapore than in any other country in the world. Our vision for the portal is to be a one-stop holistic content and services solution that caters to urban living with a host of convenient services and novel features."

The portal, www.guardian.com.sg, marks the first time that a large-scale health and beauty retailer in Singapore is offering short virtual health consultations through an exclusive partnership with MyDoc, an online health consultation platform. Time-pressed Singapore consumers are now able to schedule online appointments and have their health concerns attended to by experienced doctors and Guardian pharmacists over an online chat or video call. Personal health diaries with secure logins allow users to track their health histories and facilitate follow-ups.

Visitors to the portal can also enjoy:

· Access to over 500 different well-known health and beauty brands and over 3,000 different products, complemented by curated content in the form of health and wellness tips and advice regularly contributed by Guardian’s pool of pharmacists.

· Door-to-door delivery services for orders, with the option of choosing a preferred delivery date and one of four delivery time slots, including two evening slots – a first for the health and beauty sector in Singapore. Alternatively, purchases can be picked up at almost all of Guardian’s 148 stores island-wide, excluding the airside stores at Changi Airport.

· ‘Live’ customer service chats are available from Monday to Saturday between 9.30am to 6pm, and offer a convenient channel for public feedback and enquiries. The company notes that the service is a rarity even with other local online retailers.

“Our new e-commerce push is part of Guardian's ongoing efforts to evolve and rebrand – this is the start of a new journey and we will continue to stay responsive and adapt to the fast-changing health and beauty needs of consumers in Singapore,” added Boyd.

Providing additional perspective on the online health consultation service, MyDoc Co-founder Dr Snehal Patel said that the growth in digital and social media has fuelled the demand for quick and accessible medical advice. He shared a McKinsey study that said 75% of respondents from Singapore, UK and Germany would like to use digital healthcare services*.

“MyDoc uses the explosion in social media and Internet technology to help bring people closer to their health providers. No longer do people have to delay seeking advice because their busy lives make it difficult to schedule a visit to their clinic. 

"By making access to care easier and more seamless, people can benefit from more consistent management of their health conditions which have been shown to prevent painful and expensive hospitalisations. The partnership with Guardian is a natural fit for our service – just as Guardian is making purchasing healthcare items effortless, we are making obtaining advice easier than ever. We are excited to be part of this new push for truly personalised care,” said Dr Patel.

Guardian’s commitment to online retailing is underscored by its partnership with digital consultancy and educational institution Hyper Island, which acted as a consultant during the 18-month planning and development process. “Guardian’s platform changes the game and bridges the gap in the health and beauty landscape through several features and innovations not seen in any other health and beauty portal in Singapore,” said Hyper Island Co-founder and Academic Director Professor Jonathan Briggs.

*Healthcare's digital future, July 2014.

More effective asthma treatment with an anti-malarial drug

Asthma may soon be controlled more effectively thanks to a pharmacological discovery by researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS).

The team, led by Associate Professor Fred Wong from the Department of Pharmacology at the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, together with Dr Eugene Ho, a recent PhD graduate from the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health at NUS, have discovered that artesunate, a herbal-based anti-malarial drug, can be used to control asthma with better results than other drugs currently available.

The team revealed that artesunate can produce effects similar to those by dexamethasone, the most potent steroid remedy currently available, but with fewer side effects. As long term usage of steroids have many potential negative side effects, artesunate may be a safer alternative for asthmathic patients. The discovery was published in the journal Metabolomics on 16 July 2014. Artesunate had not been linked with asthma prior to this research.

Moving forward, the team led by Assoc Prof Wong will further explore the therapeutic and pharmacological effects of artesunate for asthma, as well as for other medical conditions. They also intend to work with industry partners to test the effects of artesunate on asthmatic patients.

Dr Ho is also furthering his research as a Research Fellow at the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health at NUS, where he hopes to discover more beneficial effects of artesunate and accelerate the adoption of this drug for clinical tests.

Artesunate is made from artemisinin (青蒿素) which is from the plant Artemisia annua, or sweet wormwood. On August 12, Sanofi and Path announced that it is now shipping synthetic artemisinin-derived drugs for malaria at a large scale, paving the way for a form of artesunate that may be available in bigger quantities and more cheaply than previously possible.

Asia Plantation Capital studies the benefits of agarwood

Source:
Asia Plantation Capital
website.

In a new investment programme Asia Plantation Capital (APC) is engaging academics in Southeast Asia to explore the science behind agarwood, also called gaharu, jinkoh, aloeswood, and oud. Agarwood is obtained from certain trees, typically Aquilaria, which have been infected by a type of mould, and is fairly rare, making it one of the most precious substances in the world.

The aim to identify key areas for crucial analysis and eventual preclinical trials, a fundamental process towards gaining approval and acceptance by medical authorities in Europe and America.

In Thailand, APC has been working with Prince Songkhla University where Prof. Pakamas Chetpattananondh is leading their assault on driving change from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to recognised global scientific acceptance, with a particular focus on the anti-oxidant properties of agarwood.

A search through Pubmed shows that there has been a fair amount of research on producing agarwood, but not much in the way of formal medical research on the material. A 2010 report noted that an extract of leaves from Aquilaria sinensis trees, which produce agarwood, caused a laxative effect in rats. 

Back in 1996, an extract of Japanese jinkoh medicine, which is from agarwood, was found to be neuroleptic. Neuroleptic drugs  reduce confusion and agitation in psychotic patients and help to control psychomotor disorders. And in 2011, a mix of fungi were extracted from agarwood and tested separately. Some of 23 fungi displayed antitumor activity against at least one of five cancer cell lines, while 13 fungi inhibited some growth of at one of six bacterial strains.

APC says that TCM already uses agarwood to relieve spasms and pain, treat the digestive system, regulate the vital organs (heart, lungs, liver), and to lower and redirect energy levels to support the kidneys. It is also used to treat tightness in the chest, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhoea and asthma.

APC notes that there is a thriving TCM ecosystem around agarwood. The company cites data provided by the Committee on Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, which is under Taiwan's Department of Health: 

• There are 47 valid manufacturing licences for prepared TCM products containing agarwood powder as an ingredient. Recommended daily dosages of between 1.5-3g apply for different medical purposes. 
• These include 42 that are over-the-counter medicines and five restricted as medicines on prescription or for hospital use only; 42 are oral medicines, two for external use and three without specific description. 
• Among these over 80% of the items contain less than 6% of agarwood in each dosage. 

Barry Rawlinson, CEO Asia Pacific for APC, commented: "Traditional Chinese medicines are now used the world over, even forming the basis of many alternative health treatments in the West. With the organic processes used on our agarwood plantations Asia Plantation Capital is well placed to help international pharmaceutical companies, especially as they continue their search for new medicines to combat recognised conditions and increase research on the international aspect of new contagions."

APC is already producing agarwood tea using leaves from selected organic agarwood plantations in Thailand and Sri Lanka. Last year saw them launch agarwood rice containing nutritional supplements developed from processed plantation agarwood trees. For some mild skin conditions they are also selling an agarwood soap.

At the 1st International Scientific Symposium on Agarwood (ISSA) in September 2013 the laxative property of agarwood leaves was confirmed and Japanese researchers announced the imminent launch of a related product. The conference also confirmed that Aquilaria Crassna leaf extracts possess antipyretic, analgesic and anti-oxidative properties without noticeable anti-inflammatory activity. Another presenter promoted agarwood leaf as a promising potential anti-diabetic agent. There was even a report of one diabetic patient significantly decreasing their blood glucose by drinking a water infusion of agarwood leaf instead of water for six months. Agarwood leaf extracts are known to possess antipyretic, laxative and antimicrobial activities.

Rawlinson said, "It is not only China where agarwood has been used in medicines for more than one thousand years, traditional uses extend across Asia and into India within Ayurveda, even the Middle East where agarwood chips and Oud oil have a long established high value market. At Asia Plantation Capital we are working to carry this cultural heritage forward scientifically based upon sound environmental practices."