International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry

Bioprospecting in Thai forests: Is it worthwhile?*

W. Y. Brockelman

Institute of Science and Technology for Research and Development Mahidol University, Salaya Campus, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand
E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract: A tropical forest contains countless possibilities for the development of useful products, but there are many impediments to the satisfactory utilization of these products. The tropical countries that have high natural biodiversity usually lack the scientific base and technology needed for the discovery and development of useful products. This problem has to be overcome by careful negotiation and collaboration, which the International Convention on Biodiversity has attempted to address. Another major problem is bioprospecting. Random prospecting or screening of species from the tropical forest is found to be generally unprofitable for western institutions, due to the high expenses and risk. The risk factor is due mainly to the low probability that any given species will yield a valuable product that will repay all the effort. In order to make bioprospecting more worthwhile, the screening process must be made more efficient. Various kinds of information may be used to increase efficiency, including leads from previous chemical and pharmacological research, indigenous human knowledge and traditional medicine, and ecological research. The last category of knowledge, not much used in the past, could be based on plant-animal interactions such as herbivory by insects, birds and mammals, and seed dispersal by frugivores. Such research is best carried out on permanent biodiversity study plots established in protected conservation areas. Use of conservation areas is governed by special regulations, and bioprospecting in them will require clarification of sensitive legal and ethical issues.

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