Revitalising Thai wisdom with modern science: Trinity Jantarach addresses health needs of the underprivileged

Recognising an issue

In an interview with The Nation, Trinity shared the inspiration behind her social enterprise Botanica (www.botanicathai.com). While volunteering as a tutor at the Mercy Centre in the Khlong Toei slum during the summer before her junior year, she became aware of a widespread issue in the community: ringworm, a type of fungal infection.

"Not only was ringworm prevalent in the area, it had a huge impact on the children’s lives because once they contracted it, it often became a chronic issue," Trinity explained. "I remember talking to one girl who had been dealing with it for over a year. The constant discomfort made it difficult for the kids to focus in class or even enjoy playing.”

Trinity spoke with the nurses and staff and discovered that treatment options were limited. Realising that the long-term use of steroids was causing harmful side effects on children’s skin. Trinity became motivated to provide another solution.

Drawing inspiration from tradition

Trinity had long been interested in the use of Thai herbs in traditional medicine but was aware that they were lacking in scientific research that conventional treatments had. She came across claims of the Thai herb Snake Jasmine (Thong Pan Chang) in particular as having antifungal properties. Wanting to learn more, she travelled to a herb farm in the Rammasak district of Ang Thong, hoping to understand the herbs from the perspective of farmers who had been using them for decades. At the cultivation site, she gained valuable insights.

"Thai herbs have been used as remedies for centuries, but it’s reasonable that there’s a lot of skepticism surrounding them due to the lack of research behind their efficacy," Trinity said. "When I spoke to the farmers, they all expressed their confidence in the herbs’ medicinal properties, sharing their own experiences of seeing real improvements when using them for skin ailments. This sparked my interest in researching Snake Jasmine. I wanted to explore the herb’s potential benefits through proper scientific validation."

From rural farms to the laboratory

After visiting the Ang Thong farm, Trinity took the Snake Jasmine herb harvested by the farmers to the Laboratory of Molecular Medical Mycology at Mahidol University to conduct research in order to test the claim. Under the guidance of Professor Sittinan Chanarat, the chairman of the Biochemistry department at Mahidol University, she began researching alongside graduate students.  

Trinity spent 10 months in the lab, actively involved in research, from the herbal extraction to determining the appropriate protocol for testing its inhibition of fungal growth and analysing the results. Throughout the entire process, she learned from the expertise and guidance of the lab’s regular members. The positive results from this research inspired her to develop a skin cream using the Snake Jasmine extract, sourcing the herb from the Ang Thong farm. Eventually, this led her to start her social enterprise, Botanica, aimed at getting the cream into the hands of those who need it.

Botanica’s social impact

Botanica’s first outreach effort involved returning to the Mercy Centre, where the creams were donated to the children under the approval and supervision of the head nurse. Over time, Trinity observed promising results as the condition of their skin notably improved.  Next, she journeyed to Ang Thong once more to give back to the farmers who had introduced her to the traditional herb. At both locations, she also taught a health class about the causes, symptoms, and prevention of ringworm.  

"Of course, it’s just as important to be aware of the root causes and avoid contracting it in the first place," Trinity explained. "Given their living conditions, I thought I could be helpful by teaching them how to best prevent ringworm infections.”

Since then, the project has grown further, with Botanica participating in multiple clinical outreach events alongside the Princess Mother’s Medical Volunteer Foundation, travelling to rural areas in Thailand where farmers and plantation workers frequently suffer from skin conditions. Most recently, Botanica has organised the donation of 500+ creams to the underprivileged across Chonburi through the Chonburi Provincial Public Health Office.

Looking into the future

Trinity’s journey from volunteering in Khlong Toei to the Ang Thong herb farm and the lab at Mahidol University is a testament to how commitment can lead to real and meaningful impact. By blending Thai traditional knowledge with a modern scientific approach, she aims to continue uplifting the health of underprivileged communities.

When asked what advice she would give to aspiring changemakers of the new generation, she said, 

“Don’t be afraid to take that first step. It’s not possible to have all the answers at the beginning. Use what you have where you are, and if you stay passionate and dedicated to your cause, you’ll be able to make an impact in ways you might not initially expect. Progress comes when you truly care and keep moving forward!”