Synopsis

"Alternative Medicines" have never had a popularity problem. They're currently used by almost half of all Australian households to treat a vast array of ailments.

But credibility has been in short supply, with robust scientific rationales and evidence of effectiveness typically conspicuous in their absence.

New research at the University of Adelaide, however, is going some way to changing that. A large number of naturally sourced agents known as "bioactives" have been shown to have the potential to improve or, in some cases, supersede conventional pharmaceutical drug therapies for diseases and disorders of the bowel.

In this fascinating presentation, research leader Associate Professor Gordon Howarth will explain how and explore the exciting implications.

About the Speaker

Gordon Howarth is a Cancer Council Australia Senior Research Fellow and leads the University of Adelaide's Digestive Health Research Group. He is also an Affiliate Associate Professor in the Gastroenterology Department of the Women's and Children's Hospital.