May 2, 2024

When Nature Bites Back: Crocodile Attack Sparks 30+ Year Project To Create Pain Relief Gel

In 1986, John Watson utilized Mudjala mangrove bark for pain relief after a crocodile attack. His practice caught the interest of Professor Ron Quinn from Griffith University, causing a cooperation in between the Nyikina Mangala people and the university. Their research, combining Traditional Knowledge with Western science, determined pain-relieving compounds in the bark.
In 1986, John Watsons finger was bitten off by a crocodile. A Nyikina Mangala male from the Jarlmadangah Burru Aboriginal Community of the Kimberley, John turned to the bark of the Mudjala mangrove tree seeking discomfort relief. He chewed on a strip of bark and used it as a dressing to his wound.
Scientific Collaboration
When Professor Ron Quinn AM from Griffith University became aware of Johns ordeal, and his usage of the Mudjala bark, he was intrigued.
A long-lasting collaboration eventuated between the Nyikina Mangala people and Griffith University under the leadership of John and Professor Quinn, seeking to identify what active compounds could be present in the bark.

Potential Applications The resulting item– a possible topical gel– will be based upon the complicated mixtures present within the bark paste. John and Ron hope that this gel might be supplied to athletes at the 2032 Brisbane Olympics, and declares prevalent application for Traditional Knowledge, while maintaining Aboriginal ownership.
Weaving Traditional Knowledge with Western science for a brand-new method to pain relief, tapping into green energy using recycling by-products, and an advanced brand-new approach to sustainability for the beef and lamb market, are all being celebrated at the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineerings annual nationwide Awards tonight.
Acknowledgment ATSEs winning technologists and engineers were recognized for their cutting-edge work on Australias hardest concerns, covering climate modification, mining, plastic waste, battery tech, and food security to name a few, throughout an event at the National Arboretum in Canberra on October 26.
ATSE President, Dr. Katherine Woodthorpe AO FTSE, stated the winners development, impact, and drive were exemplars for the game-changing application of Australian research study.

In 1986, John Watson utilized Mudjala mangrove bark for discomfort relief after a crocodile attack. Their research study, merging Traditional Knowledge with Western science, recognized pain-relieving compounds in the bark.
A Nyikina Mangala guy from the Jarlmadangah Burru Aboriginal Community of the Kimberley, John turned to the bark of the Mudjala mangrove tree looking for discomfort relief. The resulting item– a possible topical gel– will be based on the complicated mixtures present within the bark paste.

Nyikina Mangala male John Watson and Professor Ronald Quinn. Credit: Australian Academy of Technological Sciences & & Engineering
Development Discovery Integrating countless years of Traditional Knowledge with Western science has revealed an unique, natural remedy for the treatment of serious discomfort.
As a result, John and Professor Quinn have been called as the inaugural recipients of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences & & Engineerings Traditional Knowledge Innovation Award.
The bark consists of two classes of compound: one is effective for inflammatory discomfort and the other mitigates sciatic nerve injury.