Bulletin Summer 1975

Research on Chinese Medicinal Herbs Science teachers who had been engaged in research projects on Chinese medicinal herbs for several years have recently come together to form a Research Group for the Investigation of Chinese Medicinal Material, which meets every fortnight to discuss problems of common interest. It is hoped that more staff members will be attracted to join the Group so that research efforts may be strengthened. The research on Chinese medicinal herbs is a truly inter-disciplinary research programme, starting from the botanical identification of the authentic species, followed by chemical separation and characterization of the components, animal and physiological tests to identify the potent fraction, and finally the structure determination and chemical synthesis and modification of the new drugs. The Research Group therefore has as its members Dr. H.M. Chang, Dr. James G.N. Ma and Dr. W.P. Lay of the Chemistry Department, Dr. Y . C. Kong and Dr. H.W. Yeung of the Biochemistry Department and Dr. S.Y. Hu of the Biology Department, and as its advisers both overseas scientists and teachers of the Medical Faculty of the University of Hong Kong, who have always given valuable assistance, particularly in physiological studies. Chinese scientists have a distinct advantage in the study of Chinese medicine in that they are better able to avail themselves of Chinese classical literature on materia medi c a. However, members of the Research Group are to some extent hampered in their research by the lack of sufficient funds. A grant of US $15,000 was received from The World Health Organization, Geneva, for the project on Leonurus artemisia, i.e. the Chinese herb I-mu Ts'ao ( 益 母 草 ) , b u t there are other projects such as the research on huan lien (黃連 ), hypotensive components, haemostatic compounds and Abrus cantoniensis ( 雞 骨 草 ) w h i c h are in urgent need of financial assistance. Other projects undertaken by the Research Group include the scientific documentation of Chinese medicinal material and the systematic collection and classification of herb samples. It is also the hope of the Research Group to secure enough financial assistance to organize an international seminar on the research of Chinese medicinal herbs. A clos e -u p of several common m edici n al p l an t s in HongKon g,sh owing C le rodendronc ryt op h yllnm ( 大青 ), P h yllau t h u s u rinaria ( 珍珠草 ), ( Ca rdios pe r mum halicaca b um ( 倒地鈴 ), He m erocallis f ulva ( 金針菜 ), and Sa u r u r u s chi nen sis ( 三白草 ). Chinesemedicinal herbs are cultivated at the Science Centre to facilitate research.Picture shows a corner of the nursery. 6