Pharmaceutical scientist wins Asian Innovation Award

The research of Associate Professor Nhung, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Sciences (Hue University) and her colleagues was awarded in January in the Outstanding Innovation category. The award is given by the Hitachi Global Foundation (Japan) to scientists in the ASEAN region with innovative products and practical application by demonstrating effectiveness through scientific arguments to achieve sustainable development goals.

According to Professor Monte Cassim, Chairman of the 2024 Asia Innovation Awards Selection Committee, the selection process is rigorous from September to October 2024, comprehensively evaluating applications, scientific papers and online interviews. The Committee also considers differences in research and development capabilities between countries.

He assessed that the initiatives have achieved significant research results, registered patents and carried out pilot projects to develop products in cooperation with local businesses.

With this award-winning research, Associate Professor Nhung and her colleagues evaluated a number of indigenous and endemic medicinal species in Vietnam that have not been effectively exploited. This is the basis for the group to aim to create pharmaceutical products of natural origin, safe for humans, contributing to solving the need for health care and being environmentally friendly. The research also aims to reduce the abuse of synthetic chemical drugs in disease treatment, which can cause many side effects and cause pollution.

According to Associate Professor Nhung, the difference of the project is that the entire process of producing medicinal herbs from selecting raw material areas, optimizing production processes, extraction... is carried out in a closed system. The group applies green, environmentally friendly technologies. In addition, instead of only exploiting traditional medicinal herbs, the group focuses on compounds that have not been studied or even not been studied from endemic medicinal species, new medicinal herbs, and precious medicinal mushrooms, helping to expand the potential for application.

The group selected raw material areas and medicinal plants, prioritizing plants with potential according to traditional medicine documents but not yet widely applied. After this process, the group identified medicinal species such as Distichochlamys spp., Aspidistra spp., Lactuca indica L., Cordyceps spp... found in endemic plants in Vietnam that can be used to prepare and develop antibacterial, antiviral products and support disease treatment.

Some of the medicinal herbs include mint, lemon eucalyptus, betel, garlic, cajeput, perilla, cyperus rotundus, and great compassion. These medicinal herbs are extracted and refined into essential oils to make nasal inhalers, throat sprays, balms, and massage balms.

Endemic medicinal herbs such as Vietnamese dandelion, black ginger, cordyceps, Gynostemma pentaphyllum, Gymnema sylvestre... are used to make herbal tea to help relax, increase resistance, support the treatment of stomach ulcers, high blood pressure, and diabetes.

The group has successfully cultivated high-nutrient medicinal mushrooms, especially the Cordyceps militaris strain. On this basis, the group has created products and functional foods to support the treatment of lipid disorders, chronic bronchitis, bronchial asthma, help lower blood sugar, fight inflammation and enhance immunity.

Associate Professor Nhung said the award is a great encouragement, motivating her and her colleagues to continue pursuing their passion for science and opening new directions in the future.

She said that the research is currently being coordinated by a number of businesses, transferring technology for commercialization. In the near future, the group plans to develop advanced preparation technologies, such as nano medicinal herbs, medicinal essences and expand to new compounds, especially from new medicinal plants, rare medicinal mushrooms, to search for more valuable medicinal substances.