Evidence based Natural Medicine with specific Clinical Indications. Our Research and China???s New Directives
Author(s): Ping-chung LEUNG
Abstract
Natural Medicine could be interpreted as nutritional supplements – any food substance that is good for health, from dairy products to protein or fruit concentrates. Natural Medicine could be more specific with clear target groups and special claims. China is moving towards that Direction. Its State FDA since 2015 has issued a series of guidelines for the development of “Nutritional Supplements with special medicinal purposes and contents”. Three areas are given immediate priorities, viz.: infants; lactating mothers; and elderlies. Proper procedures for clinical trials are recommended in the process of establishing efficacy evidence.
The Institute of Chinese Medicine at The Chinese University of Hong Kong has serious engagements on the development of medicinal supplements since year 2000. It has followed the evidence based approach: from quality assurance, safety, bioactivity confirmations to proper clinical trials. Old classical popular complex herbal formulations have been modified into simple combinations to form effective, medicinal supplements to support allopathic treatment of specific conditions. The choice of medicinal herbs is based on the known pharmacological properties of the herbs against specific pathological processes involved in the clinical treatment.
Examples of Medicinal Supplements developed for cancer and cardio vascular treatment will be given to illustrate the principle and procedures involved.