Jul 31, 2010
Scientist searches for plants that help human health
From Bhutan's rugged Himalayas to Ecuador's cloud forest to Alaska's frozen tundra, Dr. Mary Ann Lila searches high and low for what could be called pharmaceutical plants — and not the brick-and-mortar kind that make medicines. She seeks the leafy kind, full of chemical compounds that can stave off human disease, promote endurance and strength, improve metabolism and erase signs of aging.