Recently, on September 16, in the framework of the closing and awarding ceremony “the 4th Ho Chi Minh City Patent Award (2015-2016)”, Dr.-Pharmacist Nguyen Thi Ngoc Tram won the first prize and was given a certificate of merit by the President of Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee.
Dr. Tram (purple long dress) receiving the certificate of merit from the President of Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee
Dr.-Pharmacist Nguyen Thi Ngoc Tram was awarded for 2 patents: “Process of selective extraction of bioactive alkaloid fractions from Crinum latifolium L.’s leaves for cancer treatment” and “Process of selective extraction of bioactive flavonoid fractions from Crinum latifolium L.’s leaves for support to cancer treatment”. In order to achieve the award of the contest, the patent must be transferred, commercialized, creating jobs for laborers, gaining profit, having impact on economy, society, science and technology. Besides, the patent must be still valid at least 3 years from the date of December 31, 2015.
Reporter: It is certainly not easy to get achievement as today. Could you please tell your memorable milestones in the journey of “nurturing” Crinum latifolium L.?
Dr.-Pharmacist Nguyen Thi Ngoc Tram: Since 1990, when I was a scientific collaborator of the Bulgarian Academy of Science, I have focused my research on valuable medicinal plants (including Crinum latifolium L.) which contain bioactive substances stimulating the immunity, preventing angiogenesis of cancer cells from the treasure of Vietnamese medicinal plants to create medicines for treatment of oncological disease.
This is a disease that scientists around the world are concerned about. This task required me to travel all over the country to search and research. Screening result showed that, compared with other medicinal plants, Crinum latifolium L. has the strongest biological effect, alkaloid extracts from leaves of Crinum latifolium L. are therapeutically effective on treatment of tumor diseases including benign and malignant.
Dr. Sc. Tran Cong Khanh and Dr. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Tram at Crinum latifolium L. plantation in 1998.
The results of my research on Crinum latifolium L. since 1990 have been continuously published in international prestigious scientific journals such as: Experimental Pathology and Parasitology (1999), National Congress of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology with International Participation (1999), Experimental Pathology and Parasitology (2001), International Immunopharmacology (2001), Z. Naturforsch (2002), Fitoterapia (2002), J.Essent. Oil Res.(2003), Scientia pharmaceutica (2011).
Also in Vietnam, many of my research works have been published in reputable specialized pharmacology journals: Journal of Pharmacology - A new T-lymphocyte activating factor in vitro and in vivo of hot water extract from Crinum latifolium L.’s leaves (2000); Investigation on botany, cultivation and harvest of Crinum latifolium L. (2001); Cytotoxic activity of alkaloid fractions from Crinum latifolium L. (Amaryllidaceae) (2001); Effects on damage restoration of T-lymphocytes and myeloid of Crila capsule (made from Crinum latifolium L.) (2008); Qualitative and quantitative research of kaemferol in Crinum latifolium L.’ leaves by HPLC (2010); Journal of Biology: Crinum latifolium L. var. crilae Tram & Khanh, var. n.: A new variety of Crinum latifolium L. (Amaryllidaceae) in Vietnam (2012).
Besides that are many Ministerial level subjects and State-level projects: Ministerial level scientific research subject - Research on improving technological process of extraction of total alkaloid from Crinum latifolium L.’s leaves used as herbal materials to produce medicines for treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and uterine fibroid (1999-2001); Research on formulation of hard capsules from total dried alkaloid extract from Crinum latifolium L. and testing its biological effects in treatment of BPH (2001-2003); Development of genetic resource of Crinum latifolium L. Amaryllidaceae to have herbal material source to produce medicines for treatment of uterine fibroid and BPH (2005-2010); Research on biological effects and safety of alkaloid and flavonoid fractions extracted from Crinum latifolium L. (2010-2012); State-level pilot production project KC.10.DA17 - Improving technological process of extracting active substances from Crinum latifolium L. Amaryllidaceae) to produce herbal capsules for treatment of BPH (01/2006-06/2007); State-level pilot production project KC 06.DA14 - Improving technological process of producing Crila® forte hard capsules for export demand (2012-2015); International cooperation mission on Science and Technology under the protocol between Vietnam and Bulgaria “Research on the ability to stimulate the immune system against cancer of alkaloids and flavonoids extracted from Crinum latifolium L. used as herbal materials to produce medicines supporting cancer treatment” (06/2007-06/2009).
My research work on Crinum latifolium L. was honorably given the State award on science and technology in 2010 and Kovalevskaia award in 2006. Crila is the result of this scientific research work. Until now, I still continue doing research on Crinum latifolium L. to support the treatment of cancer and my research results have been published on journals of pharmacology - Effects of enhancing specific immune function against cancer of Crilin T (2013); Research on effects of secreting IL-2 and TNFα of Crila in vitro (2013) and Vietnam Oncology Journal - Research on effects of Crilin T on Nude BALB/C mice bearing human lung cancer (2013).
With a long time doing many researches which have been recognized as above can prove who is the first and only to have conducted such scientifically and methodically research on Crinum latifolium L. from botany, chemical composition, biological effect, clinical trial and who is the author having created new medicinal capsules treating uterine fibroid and BPH, for sure you are aware. I have studied a lot about Vietnamese herbs, but maybe Crinum latifolium L. “haunted” me the most.
Prof. Dr. Sc. Do Tat Loi and Dr. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Tram at Crinum latifolium L. plantation in 1992
Reporter: It was known that Crinum latifolium L. is available in other countries such as India, Japan, China, Thailand, etc. so are these plants like Crinum latifolium L. in Vietnam?
Crinum latifolium L. is a broadleaf crinum, formerly crinums were classified according to Linne classification system by the plant classifiers around the world, so broadleaf crinums are scientifically named Crinum latifolium L., Amaryllidaceae.
When classifying crinums in India, China, Japan and Thailand, etc. they just only relied on botanical characteristics instead of genes (DNA) and not basing on chemical compositions. So far science has developed, demonstrating that crinums in India, China, Japan and Thailand, etc. are different from Crinum latifolium L. plants in Vietnam.
They are completely different from each other in DNA, thus different in chemical composition leading to different biological effects. At the plantation of Crinum latifolium L. in 1992 in Vietnam Prof.Dr.Sc. Do Tat Loi first witnessed this plant blooming.
Also here Assoc.Prof.Dr.Sc. Tran Cong Khanh tracked Crinum latifolium L. in 1998 and asserted that Vietnamese Crinum latifolium L. is a new variety of Crinum latifolium L., Amaryllidaceae.
Respectfully thank you, Dr. Tram!
Dong Huong