Sunflower association says sunflowers might help AIDS fight/ antifungal

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Posted on Tue, Feb. 14, 2006

Sunflower association says sunflowers might help AIDS fight

DAVE KOLPACK

Associated Press

FARGO, N.D. - Sunflower industry officials say a German study shows a

sunflower plant could be used in new drugs to fight the virus that causes AIDS.

Scientists at the University of Bonn discovered the link while they were

looking at antifungal properties the sunflower uses to fight off sclerotinia, a

disease commonly known as white mold, the National Sunflower Association

said.

Brady Vick, a chemist for the USDA's sunflower research unit in Fargo, said

the results come from reputable scientists who have a tradition of finding

natural chemicals to treat diseases.

" It's exciting for the Germans, they're the ones who discovered it, " Vick

said Monday. " It's kind of a surprise announcement. I don't know how they made

the connection. "

The findings could help promote further research and marketing for the crop,

said Larry Kleingartner, executive director of the National Sunflower

Association in Bismarck.

" It's very preliminary, quite frankly, " Kleingartner said. " We are checking

within different levels of Washington to see if there's potential for some

accelerated research on this. "

Sunflower groups spend about $500,000 a year on research to fight white mold,

he said. It also affects soybeans, canola and edible beans.

" It's interesting to see this very complex plant disease as a potential

source of medicine for a very difficult human disease, " Kleingartner said.

White mold cost farmers more than $100 million in 1999 and 2004, Kleingartner

said. It can show up in the roots during growing season or infect the head

during cool and wet weather in late summer.

" It can wipe out a whole field within a couple of days, " Vick said.

The antifungal substance used in AIDS drugs is also found in the artichoke

and wild chicory. Researchers said it would be cheaper to make the drug from

the sunflower plant.

" It's important to note that the apparent HIV antiviral compounds identified

in the Bonn study occur within the sunflower plant, not the edible seed or

oil of sunflower, " Kleingartner said. " However, we already know that sunflower

seed and oil have proven nutritional and health benefits unrelated to the

defense chemicals within the plant that it uses to defend itself against fungal

diseases. "

Officials at the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases in

Bethesda, Md., were not immediately available for comment.