Bulletin Number Three 1984

Modernization of Chinese Medicine —Chinese Medicinal Material Research Centre Research on Chinese medicinal material was first carried out at the University by individual teachers about ten years ago. In 1975, a Research Unit on Chinese Medicinal Material was set up under the Institute of Science and Technology to promote cooperative research among teachers. It was reorganized in 1979 into the Chinese Medicinal Material Research Centre (CMMRC), where interdisciplinary research developed. The Director of the Centre is Dr. H.M. Chang of Chemistry Department, and members include academics of the Faculties of Science, Medicine and Social Science, and specialists from other fields. With the completion of the Chinese Medicinal Material Research Laboratory, the Centre has reached a new phase of development. The basic objective of the Centre is to evaluate the true efficacy of traditional Chinese medicines by establishing their underlying pharmacological principles, active components and mode of action through strictly controlled experiments and analyses. It is hoped that such research will provide a scientific basis for the administration of Chinese medicines. The Centre is presently undertaking many basic research projects, which may be grouped under two main categories: (1) study of selected Chinese medicines, including contraceptives, ginseng, herbs for liver diseases and vasoactive agents; and (2) information on and standardization of herbal material. Study on selected Chinese medicinal materials Good Chinese herbalists are not only disease- oriented but very much patient-oriented. In the treatment of disease, they normally take the approach that would restore the natural balance in the patient and enhance the resistance of the body, thus attaining the curative effects. Therefore, Chinese medicinal materials should be studied in the context of the whole Chinese medicinal system. Apart from studying herbals which are in popular demand, the Centre also focuses on certain carefully selected Chinese medicines which have strong evidence of clinical efficacy for certain diseases for which Western medicine provides no effective or safe cure. Adopting the multidisciplinary approach, the Centre hopes to find new clues and new medicines to fill in the blanks in modem medicine. Below are some of the research projects presently undertaken by the Centre. (A) Research in Contraceptives The project on female contraceptives from indigenous plants, undertaken by Dr. Y.C. Kong of the Department of Biochemistry, has been supported by the World Health Organization since 1976. This project aims to look for non-steroidal components active against implantation, that is, a morning-after pill. So far, some promising leads are in various stages of investigation. A number of uterotonic components have been identified, as a by-product of the project, e.g., leonurine from Chinese Motherwart (Leonurus artemisia) and dehydroevodiamine from Evodia rutaecarpa. Recently the World Health Organization also gave a grant to Dr. W.W. Tso of the Department of Biochemistry and his team for research on gossypol, a promising male contraceptive isolated from cottonseed and first discovered in China. The research aims to investigate the mode of action of gossypol and the feasibility of applying gossypol as a vaginal contraceptive. Dr. H.W. Yeung of the Department of Biochemistry and his group have been engaged in the study of the abortifacient proteins of Tianhuafen (roots of Trichosanthes species) which is now used in China for abortion. The research has been extended to related taxa of the cucumber family and has led to the discovery of four new abortifacient proteins. The biochemistry and pharmacology of these proteins are under intensive study to provide the scientific basis for the development of a better contraceptive. The project is supported by the Population Council and the International Foundation of Science. (B) Herbs for Liver Diseases The research team led by Dr. H.M. Chang is studying the efficacy of several Chinese herbs in (a) increasing bile secretion to enhance detoxification and (b) promoting blood microcirculation in the liver for liver cell regeneration. These two effects are accepted therapeutic principles in Chinese medicine. 14 RECENT DEVELOPMENTS