Investigations into Australian hop bush

I have recently taken on a research program (MSc) at the University of Newcastle involving the phytochemistry and pharmacology of an indigenous plant species Dodonaea viscosa, commonly known as hop bush. A major objective of the study is to investigate the anti- inflammatory activity with a view to establishing a role for it as a phytomedicine. Readers of Wild Herb Bulletin will be aware of previous clinical and anecdotal reports of outstanding results in treating a range of inflammatory and painful disorders with hop bush, both internally and topically (Pengelly 2000). However the difficulties and high costs associated with listing indigenous medicinal plant species on the ARTG (therapeutic goods register) to enable product development have to date prevented the herb being made more widely available. (author abstract)