Srinakharinwirot University and Ramkhamhaeng University signed an agreement to supply herbal extracts to the Medical Sciences Department for medical trials, said department head Dr Paijit Warachit.

He said that the collaboration would lead to shortcuts in finding effective herbal extracts for its medical trials, which mainly centre on six diseases of special concern to Thailand.

The diseases are common influenza, human cases of bird flu, tuberculosis, severe diarrhoea, leptospirosis, dengue fever and bacterial-borne respiratory infections.

Paijit said that the department's herbal research had been progressing slowly because it depended solely on the ministry's research centre.

Ramkhamhaeng University

can supply the department with more than 20 herbal extracts for testing, said Apichart Suksam-rarn, a professor in the univer-

sity's chemistry department.

Most of the herbs have already shown potential efficacy against the viruses that cause the diseases, Apichart said.

Srinakharinwirot has between five and 10 types of herbal extracts ready for clinical trials, most of which have shown the potential to fight bacterial diseases in initial tests, said Assoc Professor Sunit Suksamrarn.

Paijit said that under the research agreement, the Medical Sciences Department should see a marked increase in the number of herbal extracts approved for human trials over the next two years.

The doctor said that the specific names of the plants in question would not be released pending patenting, but added that mangosteen was being tested for potential medicinal value.

The department is in talks with other educational institutes, including Silapakorn and Chulalongkorn universities, and they are expected to join the project, said Paijit.

There are five herbal extracts being tested on humans, four of which are for the treatment of HIV/Aids and the other for influenza, he said. The extracts will be used mainly as supplementary medications.

Arthit Khwankhon

The Nation