On the market with rampant foreign medicines at present, only a few people think that Vietnam would export medicines, however, Thien Duoc Co., Ltd (located in Nam Tan Uyen Industrial Zone - Binh Duong) did it well. The product Thien Duoc exports to American market is Crila capsule extracted from Crinum latifolium L.

We can recognize that exporting herbal medicine - Crila ... is an encouraging action, when having exported to a selective market like American one. This is a good sign for not only Thien Duoc Company but also Vietnamese medicinal industry. A reporter of BTV Magazine had an interview with Pharmacist - Dr. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Tram - Director of Thien Duoc Co., Ltd (Nam Tan Uyen Industrial Zone - Binh Duong) and Ms. C.Sue MC Kinney – Director of Crila Health Ptd (America) – the exclusive distributor of herbal medicine - Crila (in the form of supplement) to America, to learn about this herbal medicine.

Reporter: Pharmacist - Dr. Ngoc Tram, can you tell us process summary of domestication, research, and production of Crila from Crinum latifolium L.?

Pharmacist - Dr. Ngoc Tram:
Crinum latifolium L. is suitable to the soil and climate conditions of our country, especially along river and stream banks from Da Nang to Ca Mau. We started researching Crinum latifolium L. in 1990. Till now, after more than 20 years, we have domesticated it in stable plantations in Dong Nai and Ba Ria-Vung Tau.

Unlike Crinum latifolium L. in India, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnamese Crinum latifolium L. has distinct characteristics with biological activity inhibiting the growth of tumor cells. Alkaloid and flavonoid substances of Crinum latifolium L. have effect on preventing angiogenesis of tumor cells. Therefore, Crila capsule from Crinum latifolium L. can treat tumor diseases like uterine fibroids, benign prostatic hyperplasia and have effect on blood regulation for women in their premenopausal period. It was allowed for clinical trials by the Council of Science and Technology - the Ministry of Health at 3 hospitals: Central Institute of Gerontology, National Hospital of Traditional Medicine, and Ho Chi Minh Hospital of Traditional Medicine. The subject, “Evaluation of treatment effect of Crila medicine from Crinum latifolium L. on treating BPH” was directed by Prof. Tran Duc Tho - Former Director of the Institute of Gerontology. The subject applied modern health facilities, according to American standards. The result is that the Ministry of Health recognizes therapeutic efficacy of Crila capsule at 89.18% for prostatic fibroids and at 79.5% for uterine fibroids. Many patients have prostate reduction in volume and good urinary improvement, better quality of life. Crila capsule does not affect sexual activity because adverse substances are removed in extraction process.

 On June 1, 2009 the Ministry of Science and Technology offer to include Crila capsule in the list of national medicine.

Reporter: How do you do, Ms. C. Sue McKinney? Can you tell us your evaluation about Crila of Thien Duoc Company?

Ms. C. Sue Kenny:
Crila is formulated from a very special herbal plant with long history in Vietnam, which has been developed by Dr. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Tram. Currently, Crila is known as a therapeutic medicine for BPH in men and uterine fibroids in women. This medicine was proved through clinical research and real treatment for the past time. I have also verified this on the American GACP about health problems as mentioned above. They are my friends and my family including doctors and researchers. We found a very good treatment efficacy of Crila. This motivated me to bravely collaborate with Dr. Tram to develop exportation of Crila to American market. I reckon that Crila is an important product and indispensable to American market and the American. Recently, the number of American consumers looking for their health solutions from herbal products is increasing. In America, annual statistics showed that about 20 million men search for herbal medicines to treat prostatic problems, and about 12 million women do that to treat and support treatment in their menopausal period. We firmly believe that Crila has treatment efficacy on all women that was proved through unexpected increasing in the number of customers return to order. The proof is that the number of customers reordering go beyond all our expectations.

It’s also because the research work is so amazing. When establishing the company for Crila export, we decided to name our company Crila Health Ptd.

Reporter: Can you tell us your Crila promotion and advertising schedule in American market?

Ms. C. Sue McKinney:
Our marketing and advertising plans for Crila in America is the same as Dr. Tram’s in Vietnam. First, we help people be aware of Crila because American consumers have not known Crila yet long since. So, our task is to convey information about Crila in an effective way. One of our ways is to indicate results of treatment efficacy and benefits of Crila to American consumers through clinical trials. Currently, we are conducting this work. Our doctors and researchers are interested in approaching to the very positive clinical study results of Crila in Vietnam to conduct further research implemented in America.

We have been the representative of Crila in many conferences and scientific seminars sponsored by American organizations such as FDA, the American National Institute of Health and trade fairs. I have just returned from ExpoWest, in which I promoted the image Crila for the second time. This year, ExpoWest has about 58 thousand participants. Many people around the world come here to look for latest natural products. In addition, we have also built warehouse systems and secondary distributors to provide Crila for food commercial establishments and pharmacies. We are discussing with series of big entrepreneurs while directly distributing to patients via e-commerce. We have coordinated with Dr. Tram to release two books of Crila in America. Furthermore, we assume full responsibility for promoting Crila through radio channels, television interviews and providing accurate information to other mass communications to publish information and clinical study results of Crila.

From positive results provided by us, and practical administration of patients, it is bound to help Crila to appeal more people. We ourselves found the treatment efficacy of Crila thanks to the fact that many patients using Crila continued using it.

Reporter: Thank you Pharmacist - Dr. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Tram and Ms. C. Sue McKinney.