Conrad Gorinsky (March 7, 1936—August 18, 2019) was a Guyana-born

chemist A chemist (from Greek ''chēm(ía)'' alchemy; replacing ''chymist'' from Medieval Latin ''alchemist'') is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties. Chemists carefully describe ...

who studied in the UK. The son of Cesar Gorinsky, a Polish cattle rancher and gold prospector, and Nellie Melville, a half-Atorad tribeswoman. He spent months with the Amazonian

Wapishana The Wapishana or Wapichan (or Wapisiana, Wapitxana, Vapidiana, Wapixana) are an indigenous group found in the Roraima area of northern Brazil and southern Guyana. Location Currently the Wapishana are located in the State of Roraima, Brazil, ...

tribe and later obtained

US patent Under United States law, a patent is a right granted to the inventor of a (1) process, machine, article of manufacture, or composition of matter, (2) that is new, useful, and non-obvious. A patent is the right to exclude others, for a limited ...

s for

tipir Conrad Gorinsky (March 7, 1936—August 18, 2019) was a Guyana-born chemist who studied in the UK. The son of Cesar Gorinsky, a Polish cattle rancher and gold prospector, and Nellie Melville, a half-Atorad tribeswoman. He spent months with the A ...

and cunani, two chemicals derived from plants used by the tribe. In 1968 he travelled on a BBC-funded expedition in the Amazon with the explorer

Robin Hanbury-Tenison Airling Robin Hanbury-Tenison (born 7 May 1936) is an explorer based in Cornwall. He is President of the charity Survival International and was previously Chief Executive of The Countryside Alliance. Early life and education The youngest of fiv ...

, having a discussion with him that led to the foundation of

Survival International Survival International is a human rights organisation formed in 1969, a London based charity that campaigns for the collective rights, rights of indigenous peoples, indigenous and/or tribal peoples and uncontacted peoples. The organisation's ca ...

Patent controversy

Rupununine

Gorinsky patented tipir as ''rupununine'' (after the nearby Rupununi river), which is an

antipyretic An antipyretic (, from ''anti-'' 'against' and ' 'feverish') is a substance that reduces fever. Antipyretics cause the hypothalamus to override a prostaglandin-induced increase in temperature. The body then works to lower the temperature, which r ...

derived from the Greenheart tree. His patent claims it may be used to treat

malaria Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects humans and other animals. Malaria causes symptoms that typically include fever, tiredness, vomiting, and headaches. In severe cases, it can cause jaundice, seizures, coma, or deat ...

and

cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal bl ...

. The

tribe grind this nut and use it to stop bleeding and as an abortifacient which provokes miscarriage. They wanted the patent rescinded, but Gorinsky replied:

"Tough, isn't it?", he says. "I was not the only person looking at the greenheart. I just picked up a nut and said 'what can I do with this?'. I have analysed the chemical structure but I have not patented the tree or a life process. How can I tell the Wapishana about the science? They just inherited the greenheart. They don't own it. I have invested in this with my own money".

Cunaniol

Gorinsky was one of several who isolated a potent chemical from certain plants that the tribe used for fishing. The natives called the plant ''cunani'', after which Gorinsky called the chemical "cuaniol". Affected by this potent neurotoxin, fish in the surrounding area become disoriented and can easily be caught. Gorinsky patented the use of cunaniol for the treatment of heart disease. The chemical is also known as

ichthyothereol Ichthyothereol is a toxic polyyne compound found in the leaves and flowers of several plants in South and Central America. These plant sources and their extracts are known for their toxic effects on fish, and have long been used by various native ...

Controversy

The 1992

Convention on Biological Diversity The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), known informally as the Biodiversity Convention, is a multilateral treaty. The Convention has three main goals: the conservation of biological diversity (or biodiversity); the sustainable use of it ...

, as part of its aim of protecting the knowledge of forest tribes from exploitation, nationalised plant resources and forbid individuals from patenting organic compounds from them. Tribespeople accused him of committing

biopiracy Biopiracy (also known as scientific colonialism) is defined as the unauthorized appropriation of knowledge and genetic resources of farming and indigenous communities by individuals or institutions seeking exclusive monopoly control through patent ...

by stealing their secrets.

Footnotes

External links

Indigenous Community Bans TNC ResearchersRaiders of Forest Cures
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gorinsky, Conrad 1936 births 2019 deaths Guyanese chemists Commercialization of traditional medicines