There are few herbs that are "favored" likeCrinum Latifolium, when it was used in the palace for royal and beautiful womenfrom ancient times and today it is rumoured forits treatment of prostate enlargement, uterine fibroids... Although it is commonly used in folklore, it was not until the results of many years of diligent research by Dr. Pharmacist Nguyen Thi Ngoc Tram in the study of the Crinum Latifolium plant thatVietnam knows more about its usages. This research cluster has created Crila pill that has the effect of treating prostate and uterine fibroids, and at the same time opening a new direction to research biological active ingredients extracted from natural resources to prevent and treat of tumor diseases. In 2010, a cluster of research works on the Crinum Latifolium by Dr. Tram has been awarded the State Prize for Science and Technology by the President.
Dr. Tram,it is known that you have been doing research on Crinum Latifolium since 1990. By what circumstances did you conduct research on this herb?
I was a scientific associate of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and participated in the research group on Asian medicinal plants. Our mission was to research and find medicinal ingredients from precious herbs, including Asian medicinal plants. Therefore, since 1990, I traveled all over the country from the North to the South looking for precious medicinal plants and selecting them to find medicinal ingredients from Vietnamese herbs that have the effect of treating tumors. In the process of searching for precious medicinal plants, I received information from people in Hue and they said that in the past, the royal family used to use Crinum Latifoliumto treat cancer, uterine fibroids for royal and beautiful women and prostate fibroids (now called benign prostatic hypertrophy) for eunuchs.
Following this information, I collected 7 plants of the same species with similar botanical morphology. It was the people who told me about the healing power of this plant, but they themselves did not know which of the 7 plants was effective in treating the disease. Because this is only information based on folk experience, the determination of which plants are medicinal plants capable of treating cancer requires scientists to prove by the results of research on the biological effects of different biologically active substances in plants. It was fate that I chose this medicinal plant and started researching it in 1990.
What have been the results of the researches on Crinum Latifoliumfrom 1990 until now?
Cluster of research works on Vietnam Crinum Latifolium have created Crila and Crila Forte pills and have been studied and tested on thousands of patientsat several hospitals according to Regulation 371 of the Ministry of Health: Central Institute of Gerontology National Hospital of Traditional Medicine, Central Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hospital of Traditional Medicine in Ho Chi Minh City, Tu Du Hospital. Effective treatment for uterine fibroids reached 79,5% and for prostate enlargement reached 89,18% with positive results.
The cluster of works also created a purebred Crinum Latifolium planting area and this planting area has been applied the principles and standards of "Good agricultural and collection practicesfor medicinal plants" as recommended by the WorldHealth Organization. Therefore, the planting area has been certified by the Drug Administration of Vietnam - the Ministry of Health as the first growing area of medicinal herbs meeting GACP - WHO standards in Vietnam. The Crinum Latifolium planting area of more than 50 hectares can replace the factory that synthesizes chemically anti-tumor compounds. The Crinum Latifolium planting area does not emit pollutants, but makes the environment greener and cleaner. When developing the Crinum Latifolium planting area, it created jobs for workers and exported Crila medicinal products, contributing to stabilizing drug prices and increasing foreign currency income.
The medicinal product Crila was derived from scientific researches on Crinum Latifolium - research on cultivation and collection, research on selection of varieties based on the study of distinct genetic characteristics (DNA) of different species of Amaryllidaceae plant found in Vietnam and Crinum Latifolium, research on chemical composition has identified alkaloids and flavonoids that have the effect of preventing and slowing the growth of tumor cells, stimulating immunity, and research on apothecary setting up a new formula and choosing an appropriate dosage form for easy use by patients, clinical studies at hospitals have proven that the pill is safe, quality, and has high therapeutic efficiency.
Dr. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Tram visits the area growing Crinum Latifolium L. var. crilae Tram & Khanh
The medicinal plant that Dr. Tram uses as a raw material for the production of Crila, Crila Forte has the scientific name of Crila (Crinum Latifolium L. var. crilae Tram & Khanh). What is the difference compared to otherAmaryllidaceae plants in Vietnam that people often mistake it for the Crinum Latifolium?
Research on Crinum Latifolium shows that there are differences in genes (DNA) and chemical compositions, which lead to differences in biological effects as well as effectson disease treatment. Therefore, if not using the plant that I researched, but using other plants that do not have biologically active substances that inhibit tumor cell growth, immune stimulation, then they will not be able to treatbenign prostate gland and uterine fibroids, not to mention, those plants also have some toxic compositionsthat affect the liver and kidneys. In addition, there are differences in plant morphology between them, but this difference is often difficult for people to distinguish, only when the plant is flowering can it be distinguished.But the Crinum Latifolium only flowers when the plantis 3 to 6 years. Therefore, the patient cannot distinguish,only experienced botanists can. To ensure their own health, patients should choose products from manufacturers with scientific research to ensure patient safety and high treatment efficiency.
Currently, Crinum Latifolium is used to treat uterine fibroids, prostate enlargement and other tumor diseases with the scientific name Crila – Crinum Latifolium L. var. crilae Tram & Khanh. On August 16th2015, the Department of Crop Production granted the plant variety protection certificate for "Crila" under No. 26.VN.2015.
Dr. Tram can you please clarify the difference in therapeutic effect between the dried leaf decoction and the fresh leaf decoction of Crinum Latifolium L. var. crilae Tram & Khanh?
The biologically active substances in Crila Crinum Latifolium are alkaloids that are stable to high temperatures, so exposure to sunlight does not affect the active ingredients in the leaves. Therefore, using fresh leaves or dried leaves is equally effective. But when using dried leaves, there is a drying process, so the leaves have an easier-to-drink aroma than fresh leaves. Moreover, leaves that are dried in the sun are sterilized, so it is good for users. Currently, in order to save time, patients can use products with high treatment efficiency and convenience, patients can use products that have been produced from alkaloids and flavonoid fractions, extracted from leaves and flowers ofCrila Crinum Latifolium with suitable solvent systems and is not toxic to the human body.
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