After 20 years of taking great pains with her research on Crinum latifolium L. plant, Dr. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Tram, Director of Thien Duoc Limited Company, extracted bioactive alkaloids and successfully formulated Crila® for treatment of uterine fibroids and benign prostatic hyperplasia. This medicinal product has been exported to many countries.
Her father’s prophecy
At the age of 70, Dr. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Tram is still devoting her life and time to do scientific research. Business management, market expansion as well as research take up her time. “During my childhood, I enjoyed planting and often collected many milk cans filled with soil for planting to create a herb garden around my house. At that time, my father, Prof. Dr. Sc. Nguyen Van Truong, told me that I would study pharmacy to find out and develop medicines from Vietnamese herbal materials. As if, my father’s prophecy became a fate between my life and career with Vietnamese herbs”, said Dr. Tram.
Graduated from Hanoi University of Pharmacy in 1970, she embarked on studying Plectranthus amboinicus from which she produced cough syrup for children. In 1984, she won a national competition for a grant for postgraduate study in Bulgaria. Here she defended her doctoral thesis successfully with excellent result on “Study of chemical composition of essential oil from Vietnamese cardamom” in front of the Peer Review Board consisting of professors and doctors from Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.
Then, she was invited to stay here for further research and one year later she joined as a scientific collaborator in the research group of Bulgarian Academy of Sciences with the purpose of studying and searching for antitumor compounds present in Vietnamese medicinal herbs. On days returning to Vietnam for searching for medicinal plants, she travelled to many parts of the country from the South to the North. Through folk experiences, she heard about Crinum latifolium L. plant that can treat many diseases. She brought this medicinal plant home for screening and analyzing in DNA to select good varieties.
After 15 years of tireless research, until 2005, Crila® capsules extracted from Crinum latifolium L. were created and approved for circulation on the market by the Drug Administration - Ministry of Health.
Science must link with the market
What makes Dr. Tram always on the tenterhooks is that science must link with the market to get a complete success. From this conception, Thien Duoc Limited Company has been established and directed by her. Thien Duoc company has chosen Long Thanh – Dong Nai for planting and replicating Crinum latifolium L. The natural condition here is suitable for this plant. Raw material area located near the manufacturing factory has promoted faster manufacturing process.
Talking about this bold decision, Dr. Tram said that there is a long distance between research and launching in the market. From searching for the place to establish manufacturing factory to the marketing of product, every stage is not less difficult than product research. Not stopping at the local market, this scientist good at business management has found ways to export 3 products to the U.S. which are Crila for Menopause (easing hot flashes and night sweats, promoting a restful night’s sleep, promoting a healthy immune system); Crila for Prostate (Promoting prostate health, supporting healthy urinary function, and promoting a healthy immune system) and Crila for Uterine Health (focused support for uterine and ovarian health, encouraging menstrual comfort, and supporting a healthy immune system).
Her yearning for research on Crinum latifolium L. plant has not stopped there. Currently, she and her colleagues are continuing their research to produce new medicinal products for lung and prostate cancer, following the success of the subject “Study of biological effects and safety of alkaloid and flavonoid fractions from Crinum latifolium L.” protected in 2009.