Tree Blood from New Guinea Rosewood Shows Promise for Skin Ulcers

Researchers are exploring the healing properties of sap from the New Guinea Rosewood tree as a potential treatment for painful skin ulcers affecting children in Papua New Guinea. According to The Telegraph UK, up to fifteen percent of children in the region suffer from these open ulcers, which can lead to severe infections and long-term deformities.

Dr. Tom Prescott, a biochemist at Kew Gardens, highlighted the urgency of finding effective treatments, as basic antiseptics and antibiotics are often inaccessible in rural communities. The sap, collected from the tree's bark, shows promise and could provide a vital solution for these untreated wounds, which can also serve as entry points for diseases like yaws.