Research and development of traditional medicinal plants

Photo 1: Dr. Bui Van Thanh interviewed Thai ethnic people in Son La on the experience of using plants

According to research by the Institute of Medicinal Materials, in Vietnam, 5,117 species have been identified with medicinal uses, many of which are used according to folk experience. Investigations and research on the use of traditional medicinal plants and ethnic medicinal plants have mainly stopped at interviewing and recording information. Studies on chemical composition, biological activity, and pharmacological effects have also been conducted, but there are still many limitations. In addition, for the survey results, there is no assessment of the reliability of the obtained information.

To have a better overview of biological resources in general and medicinal plant resources in particular of Vietnam and Laos, creating a premise for a long-term orientation for cooperation in exploitation and sustainable use of medicinal plant resources of the two countries, the Task combined traditional knowledge inquiry with empirical research. This is also an opportunity for scientists of the two countries to search and discover medicinal plant species and compounds from traditional medicinal plants with potential for wide application.

On the basis of the investigation results on indigenous knowledge, the Task has selected a number of precious and typical medicinal plants to study the chemical composition and biological activity. Through the methods of plant research, ethnobotany, isolation and structural determination of compounds, essential oil research and biological activity, the Task has achieved the main results, including:

• Information about plants and experiences in using medicinal plants of Thai ethnic people in Son La (110 species belonging to 94 genera, 54 families) and Van Kieu ethnic people in Quang Binh (87 species belonging to 82 genera, 55 families). The disease groups most targeted by both these communities are skin diseases, bone diseases and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
• Research on chemical composition of Nepenthes mirabilis (Lour.). A total of 5 compounds were identified, including: Plumbagin, Droserone, epi-Catechin, Quercetin and Kaempferin.
• Research on the chemical composition of essential oils obtained from wormwoods.
• Testing the biological activity of essential oils obtained from Hedychium villosum Wall and Hedychium stenopetalum Lodd.
• Published an article in the SCIE catalog and supported the training of two students at the University of Natural Resources and Environment and the University of Natural Sciences (Vietnam National University, Hanoi).

Photo 2. Some pictures of studied medicinal plants: Hedychium stenopetalum Lodd. (left) and Hedychium villosum Wall. (right)

Photo 3. Nepenthes mirabilis (Lour.))

Photo 4. Nepenthes mirabilis (Lour.))

The research results have contributed to documenting the indigenous knowledge and traditional experiences of ethnic minorities.

Translated by Tuyet Nhung
Link to Vietnamese version