Vietnamese anti-baby leaf 'effective'

The leaf has been used for centuries in Vietnam

By Owen Bennett-Jones in Hanoi

Research in Vietnam has shown that a leaf used by two tribes in the country could be effective as a contraceptive.

A research project began four years ago when officials in the central Quang Tri Province heard about how local people were using a leaf belonging to the Marylli deceae family.

It is believed the contraceptive leaf has been used for centuries by two ethnic minorities in Vietnam - the Van Lieu and Pa Co.

It has the great advantage of being non-intrusive - the leaf is dried and crushed into a powder and then rubbed into the skin.

Some local people also put the powder in a pouch and hang it around their neck.

No side-effects

An official research project into the powder has been underway since 1996 and Vietnamese scientists believe it has very low toxicity and no harmful side effects.

Herbs are also used to treat women after childbirth

They say that only a small numbers of tests have been carried out but the early results are encouraging.

So far the powder has had the desired effect on 80% of rabbits which have been treated with it.

Tests on human volunteers are still ongoing.

Addiction cures

This is by no means the first time that Vietnamese scientists have investigated the potential benefits of herbal medicines.

Different tribes use plants to treat women after childbirth and to induce abortions.

It is believed another plant can help cure drug addiction.

The United Nations helped fund a research pilot project into a drug called Heantos after seeing clinics where drug addicts took a week long course of tablets and then apparently lost their craving for heroin.