CRILA capsule was created from the research work of Dr. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Tram and her colleagues from Vietnam and foreign country. From then until now, patients have believed in using CRILA because of its treatment efficacy for uterine fibroids, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and reasonable price. Compared with the same kind of medicine products imported from overseas, the cost of a therapeutic dose of CRILA is only 20% that of foreign medicines

Rumors that Royal Virgin (Crinum latifolium L.) can cure cancer since the 1990s have promoted Vietnamese scientists to study and search for Crinum latifolium L’s bioactive substances for use as materials for manufacturing medicines for cancer treatment. However, so far, there has not been any scientific work yet that demonstrated the ability of Crinum latifolium L.’s bioactive substances to support the cancer treatment. On July 3, 2009, the Ministry of Science and Technology based on the Decision No. 1280 on July 15, 2009 accepted and appraised the research results according to mission of the International Cooperation in Science and Technology “Research of the ability to stimulate the immune system of alkaloids and flavonoids extracted from Crinum latifolium L. used as raw materials for medicine production supporting cancer treatment” between Vietnam and Bulgaria with the participation of University of Innsbruck - Austria.

The groups of bioactive substances extracted from Crinum latifolium L. leaves have brought new hope for patients with cancer. Dr. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Tram - who is known as the father of the first products extracted and manufactured from Crinum latifolium L. including CRILA capsule gave us a discussion about this issue.

Can you tell us what the main research content of this project is about?

This is an international cooperation of the Protocol between Vietnam and Bulgaria, one of the 46 international cooperation tasks in scientific and technological research under the Protocol beginning in 2007 by the Government. After 2 years, we have done and completed the tasks.

Compared with the Proposal approved by the Ministry of Science and Technology under the Decision No. 823/QĐ-BKHCN on May 22, 2007, we have completed two objectives: extracting alkaloid and flavonoid fractions from Crinum latifolium L. leaves and evaluating the ability to enhance immune system against cancer of alkaloid fractions (C1, C2, C3), flavonoids (H1) and CRILA capsule is manufactured from synthetic alkaloids including 3 fractions (C1, C2, C3)

How are the research process and the result?

We have extracted, selected three fractions of alkaloids (C1, C2, C3) and a fraction (H1) from Crinum latifolium L. leaves and evaluated the anticancer ability of alkaloids and flavonoids fractions above and CRILA capsule through In vitro and In vivo studies used as raw materials for medicine production supporting cancer treatment.

The study process also showed CRILA capsule has effects to surround free radicals with oxidative activity. Moreover, CRILA can increase hematopoiesis, especially proliferate early common lymphoid progenitors in bone marrow. CRILA and these fractions directly poison cancer cell lines of lung, liver, heart, and Graffi myeloma. CRILA and these fractions also retard tumor growth and prolong the survival time of cancer animals. They can enhance anti-tumor immune indirectly and have toxicity effect directly on cancer cell lines In vitro and In vivo

Are the initial results encouraging and great hope for cancer patients?

This is a big turning point for me and my colleagues in Vietnam and foreign countries that have joined in studying Vietnamese Crinum latifolium L. The results are encouraging, but we still have to go through clinical trials on thousands of patients in three hospitals. Then the conclusion about the treatment efficacy in supporting cancer treatment of alkaloid, flavonoid fractions, and CRILA can be given. However, based on In vitro and In vivo studies, we predict that clinical trial results are bound to be good.

So according to this result, can the disease be cured if cancer patients use dried leaves or fresh leaves, and buy products made from Crinum latifolium L?.

Medicine products are manufactured from alkaloid and flavonoid fractions extracted from Crinum latifolium L. leaves with the appropriate solvent that is not toxic to human. The extracting solvents can separate fractions that have biological activity supporting cancer treatment. Not all alkaloid and flavonoid fractions of Crinum latifolium L. leaves can be used as raw materials for producing medicine supporting cancer treatment but only some. In the study, we have selected 3 fractions (C1, C2, C3) which have biological activity supporting cancer treatment to produce CRILA capsule. CRILA is produced from pure medicinal herb resources under GAP criteria and carefully selected by the DNA test. CRILA capsule is one of two medicine products that are licensed with indication for the treatment of BPH and uterine fibroids by the Ministry of Health. Meanwhile, on the market, many dietary supplements (DS) which are stated to be produced from Crinum latifolium L. only have preventive effect but not medical properties.

To effectuate the slogan of the Ministry of Health "Prevention and cure are two parallel tasks”, we have also studied and created two DS products: CRILIN and Crinum latifolium L. tea, which have preventive effects on the formation of tumors and support the treatment of tumors such as ovarian cysts, breast tumors and so on. These two dietary supplement products are manufactured from Crinum latifolium L. grown on the pharmaceutical material plantation that stabilizes antitumor active substances like CRILA.

Dried or fresh leaves that patients want to buy must have clear origin; otherwise, users will both lose money and catch diseases. Besides, they will get unfortunate consequences by themselves because in Vietnam there are many other Crinum species looking alike Crinum latifolium L. such as Crinoideae, white Crinum and so on. Their dried leaves are totally the same in flavor (smell like tobacco scent), color (pale yellow), length, and width of leaf and so on. That makes it difficult to distinguish between them by naked eyes. They should be distinguished by genetic testing (DNA). Purchasing unknown leaves on the market is very dangerous because white Crinum and Crinoideae are toxic to liver, kidneys, and other body’s functions.

Many people transmit their experiences to others to take home fresh leaves of Crinum latifolium L., boil them, and drink them instead of water to prevent cancer. This deed is very dangerous because these plants have not been properly identified whether they are correct Crinum latifolium L. leaves or not.

So people should carefully consider using Crinum latifolium L. leaves as well as Crinum latifolium L. products on the market to get effective and preventive treatment for themselves with reasonable cost.

In addition, if you need any advice on Crinum latifolium L. and how to use properly products from Crinum latifolium L. based on the scientific research in Vietnam and foreign countries about Crinum latifolium L., you can contact me directly at the number 08.54045327.

Thank you for giving us this conversation, wish you success in the future!

Reported by DONG HUONG