The Physician Hai Thuong Lan Ong used to say, ‘Vietnamese medicine is for the Vietnamese’ and Pharmacist – Dr. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Tram always said to herself, ‘Need to create a medicine from Vietnamese herbs’ since she was young. It has inspired and helped her to be strong, determined, and persistent for nearly the past 20 years. From the result of 4 scientific research subjects at ministry level and 2 pilot production projects at ministry level on which she and her colleagues studied hard, CRILA capsule was formulated. Since 2005, CRILA produced by the Research Development and Manufacture CRINA Centre was allowed by the Ministry of Health for nationwide circulation with registration number VNB-3391-05. Currently, the technology has been transferred to Thien Duoc Co., Ltd to produce and circulate under registration number V1167-H12-10 with indication for BPH and uterine fibroid treatment.
In the last days of 2009, Pharmacist – Dr. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Tram was very busy with reporting sessions with the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Health, but she was very happy. The reason was that the research results of the bioactive substances of CRILA were evaluated to have ability to enhance immune system, surround free radicals, inhibit antioxidation, retard the growth of tumors, and have hematopoietic effect. This study has great scientific and practical significances that is implemented meticulously and seriously with high reliability and quality. In addition, subjects also set up the extraction process and chemical structures of some standard flavonoid and alkaloid fractions, as well as identified the fractions having biological effects and tested these effects in vivo and in vitro under national and international standards. This product holds significantly social and economic value. It’s known that the price of a CRILA dose for the treatment of uterine fibroids and BPH is about 20 % that of imported medicines.
Research results of bioactive substance groups extracted from Crinum latifolium L. leaves have brought new hope for cancer patients used as raw materials for medicines supporting cancer treatment. According to Dr. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Tram, the study of bioactive substance groups extracted from Crinum latifolium L. leaves is performed with the cooperation with the Bulgarian Academy of Science (under the protocol of international cooperation between Vietnam and Bulgaria in 2007) and University of Innsbruck – the Republic of Austria.
Among alkaloid and flavonoid fractions extracted from Crinum latifolium L. leaves, cultivated under GAP criteria in Long Thanh - Dong Nai province, scientists have selected and identified 3 alkaloid fractions (C1, C2, C3) and 1 flavonoid fraction (H1), which have anti-cancer effects and tested their toxicity effect on liver, lung and pericardium cancer cell lines. These alkaloid and flavonoid fractions have also been tested in sterile laboratory of Bulgarian Academy of Science and the University of Innsbruck - Republic of Austria in vitro and in vivo.
CRILA is manufactured from alkaloids of three fractions (C1, C2, C3). CRILA is formulated from pharmaceutical material source that is not only clean but also carefully and correctly chosen through DNA test. CRILA is one of the two medicines that are licensed by the Ministry of Health with indication for BPH and uterine fibroids treatment. On the market, there are many supplements labeled to be produced from Crinum latifolium L., but supplements are only used for prevention.
The research process also showed that, CRILA has effect on surrounding free radicals that have oxidative activity, increasing hematopoiesis, especially proliferating early T-lymphocyte precursor cells in bone marrow. CRILA and the fractions directly poison lung cancer, liver cancer, pericardium cancer, and Graffi myeloma tumor cell lines. They also retard the growth of tumor cells and prolong survival time of tumor-bearing animals, stimulate the immune system against tumor indirectly and have direct toxicity effect on cancer cell lines in vitro and in vivo.
The research result of the ability against tumor of three alkaloid fractions and one flavonoid fraction extracted from Crinum latifolium L. leaves and the birth of CRILA marked a new turning point and opened up a new way to support cancer treatment thanks to Vietnamese herbs. These bioactive substances and CRILA must be also undergone clinical trials on thousands of patients at 3 hospitals. According to prediction of Pharmacist - Dr. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Tram and her colleagues, as well as based on studies in vitro and in vivo, the results of clinical trials will be good.
Nowadays, Thien Duoc Co., Ltd, directed by Dr. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Tram has manufactured two supplements: CRILIN and Crinum latifolium L. tea. They are used to prevent the formation of tumors, support tumor treatment such as ovarian cysts, breast tumors, etc. Like CRILA capsule, they are also formulated from Crinum latifolium L. cultivated under clean standard with stable material quality and antitumor bioactive substances.
Through our conversation with Pharmacist - Dr. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Tram, we know that in coming days she will continue studying the biological effects and formulating CRILA-T from C1, C2, C3 and H1 fractions of Crinum latifolium L. leaves to make medicines supporting tumor treatment. Moreover, she is testing CRILA-T through clinical trials in liver cancer and evaluating the effectiveness and drug acceptability of Crila on lung cancer, cervical cancer, and prostate tumors. Then, she’s completing alkaloid and flavonoid fraction extraction and production technology process to manufacture capsule against liver, lung, and prostate cancer.