India, March 15 -- There is this story-unverified, of course-that a well-off Naga man suffering from relentless diabetes decided to travel all the way to China after reading about a wonder plant in that country that cures the disease. After his return, friends, relatives, and neighbours visited him to enquire about his well-being and his trip-a typical Naga custom.

He was cheerful and optimistic about his recovery and, after regaling his visitors with stories of his sojourn to China, he proudly showed them the dried leaves of the wonder plant he had brought back.

A look at the dried leaves evoked an incredulous reaction. "You fool," a neighbour said, naming the plant. "Don't you know that it grows wild all over the place here and in you...