Traditional medicines in Samoa and Aotearoa are being studied for their potential to treat illnesses like dengue, Zika, and measles.

Dr Natalie Netzler, a senior lecturer at Auckland University, is of Maori (Ngāti Ruanui and Ngāti Hauā) and Samoan descent, from Motoʻotua, and is combining native and traditional medicinal knowledge with virology (the study of viruses) to find medicine that could fight many viruses.

Netzler said her interest in traditional medicine started in childhood. “When we had a headache, we would always go to Dad, who would give us a traditional Samoan massage, called a fofo,” she told the media in New Zealand. “It felt intense, but as soon as he lifted his hands, the headache was gone, just like Samoan magic.”

Her research is guided by careful collaboration with communities in both Samoa and Aotearoa, particularly in Muriwhenua in the Far North. She explained that they plan the study together, set up fair rules, and make sure the work doesn’t harm nature. 

“We protect both the plants and the indigenous knowledge behind them. The last thing we want is for ‘Big Pharma’ to come in and exploit these resources.”

Last year, her team identified two Samoan traditional medicines effective against the virus that causes COVID-19. She works closely with chemists and traditional healers to test these remedies in the lab. If a medicine shows antiviral potential (ability to fight viruses), the findings are shared back with the communities for immediate use.

“For larger-scale treatments, we might work with chemists to develop something that can be legally protected and made in a lab. But there could also be opportunities for communities to develop their own products, remaining guardians of their land and knowledge,” she said.