Rosy periwinkle
Catharanthus roseus
Life saver
This pretty plant from Madagascar gives us two very important cancer-fighting medicines: vinblastine and vincristine. Vincristine has helped increase the chance of surviving childhood leukaemia from 10% to 90%, while vinblastine is used to treat Hodgkins’ Disease.
Traditional Madagascan healers used the rosy periwinkle for treating diabetes. This led to its study by western scientists who then discovered its anti-cancer properties
Profit sharing
These medicines have proved very profitable for global pharmaceutical companies. Worldwide sales are worth over £75 million a year, but virtually none of this money finds its way back to Madagascar, one of the poorest countries in the world.
Some pharmaceutical companies are trying to redress this imbalance by working closely with ethno-botanists and indigenous healers, and sharing profits more equitably.
There are also recent international agreements which have tried to ensure that more profits from the commercial development of animal and plant species return to the countries of origin.
Quick facts
| Scientific name Catharanthus roseus | Native to Madagascar | Rainforest layer Forest floor |
| Size Maximum height 1 metre | Plant family Apocynaceae | IUCN conservation status Not evaluated – learn more |
Concerns
Rosy periwinkle is endangered in its natural habitat in Madagascar due to deforestation.