Ketum can be grown commercially if scientific evidence of medicinal benefits proven: Azlan Man

ARAU: Ketum trees can be grown commercially if scientifically proven to have medicinal properties and there is high demand for the leaves abroad said Perlis Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azlan Man.
He said this was to avoid abuse of the plant as excessive ketum juice consumption could be addictive and harmful to health.
Azlan said although ketum leaves have been acknowledged to have medicinal values and used traditionally to treat a number of diseases, no scientific studies on such properties have ever been made or recorded.    
"I am not sure if any local or foreign parties have carried out scientific research, published journals or issued reports on ketum leaves," he told Bernama at the Puah constituency Aidilfitri gathering here last night.
He was commenting on a request for approval from Risda chairman Datuk Zahidi Zainul Abidin to grow ketum trees on a commercial scale to help increase income of farmers.
In his statement in Kuala Nerus, Terengganu yesterday, Zahidi said ketum leaves which have been claimed to have high medicinal properties could be exported to the United States and Europe due to high demand from pharmaceutical companies there.
"If there is demand from foreign countries, there must be measures taken to ensure large scale commercial ketum plantations are not abused," said Azlan.
He said currently only Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP) has been given special permission to grow ketum trees in a controlled manner for research purposes to determine its effects, nutritional and medicinal values. — Bernama