A scientific researcher from Samoa is urging traditional healers in the country to keep an open mind when it comes to science and modern medicine.
A recently published study by the Prague University of Life sciences tested a selection of Samoan medicinal plants and found they did have healing properties and that they were not toxic to humans.
Julian Wong Soon says when they started the study there were mixed reactions from local healers or Taulasea.
But she says the positive results from the research point to the need for more collaboration.
Homalanthus nutans, or Mamala. Photo: [Mark Marathon / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) Mark Marathon]
