Credit: BNPS Press Agency
Powys-based bioresearch company, Agroceutical Products, is playing a role in the fight against Alzheimer's by harvesting Wales' national flower. Daffodils contain galantamine - a compound known to slow the progression of Alzheimer's symptoms.
Established in 2012, Agroceutical Products is owned by former sheep farmer Kevin Stephens. The company grows its daffodils 1,000 feet above sea level in the Black Mountains in Powys, which means they produce more galantamine than daffodils grown anywhere else due to the altitude.
Once harvested, the daffodils are processed and supplied to pharmaceutical companies to be crystallised into prescription tablets and capsules. The company's team of five produces 20 kilos of galantamine per year, helping over 9,000 Alzheimer's patients across the world.
Minister of State for Trade and Exports, Baroness Rona Fairhead said:
I'm delighted to see that the team at Agroceutical Products are bringing the medical benefits of Welsh daffodils to Alzheimer's patients worldwide.
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