HEALING FORCES OF NATURE

The opening ceremony of the Kazakhstan-China Joint Laboratory of Medicines was held at the Faculty of Chemistry of Chemical Technology, Al-Farabi KazNU. The Memorandum of Understanding between the University and the Institute, signed during the event, opened up new horizons for joint work on a promising project.

Herbal medicine is a trend today. We know that medicinal products based on medicinal herbs are effective and safe at the same time. Many are happy to treat joints, organs of the gastrointestinal tract, blood vessels and diseases of various etiologies with the help of Chinese tablets. However, Kazakhstan is rich in its own medicinal plants, it has a rich potential for the development of phyto-drugs production.

It is not the first year that Al-Farabi KazNU has been studying the properties of medicinal herbs on the basis of the Research Center for Medicinal Plants. Today, the Kazakhstan-China Laboratory of Medicines opens jointly with the Xinjiang Physicochemical Technical Institute and the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

The solemn ceremony dedicated to this remarkable event was attended by: First Vice-Rector of Al-Farabi KazNU Mukhametkali Burkitbayev, Deputy Director of the Xinjiang Technical Physico-Chemical Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences Haji Akber Aisa, representatives of the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in the Republic of Kazakhstan Mi Guixiong and Lu Yonggang. During the meeting, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed, which marked a new stage in the cooperation of the two sides.

«Today, China and Kazakhstan are developing comprehensive cooperation at a high level, including in the field of science and education, - highlighted Mr. Guixiong. - Al-Farabi KazNU is the most strong and famous University in Kazakhstan and in Central Asia. Strong research and development in various fields has developed here. A joint laboratory created on the basis of the University will serve as a new incentive for the development of the pharmaceutical industry in Kazakhstan».

Congratulating the participants of the ceremony on a significant event, the First Vice-Rector of Al-Farabi KazNU Mukhametkali Burkitbaev noted that the nature of Kazakhstan is rich in medicinal herbs, but the technology for the production of phyto-drugs is not sufficiently developed, specialists and knowledge in this field are needed in order to produce competitive products. «By combining our capabilities and resources, we can achieve great results, - said the speaker. - Today, youth is actively involved in all progressive endeavors and projects. Together we will be able to educate scientific personnel, develop the production of medicinal phyto-drugs, promote joint projects and work for the benefit of society».

The implementation of such an ambitious project was made possible largely thanks to the efforts of the ideological inspirer of the project, Director of the Medicinal Herbs Laboratory, Director of the Research Center for Medicinal Plants Zhanar Zhenis.

As the Head of the Laboratory told us, after the launch, the laboratory staff will study the chemical composition of medicinal plants growing both in Kazakhstan and in China. Ahead is a lot of work to determine the bioactive compounds of plants. Subsequently, based on the results obtained, phyto-drugs for the treatment of various diseases, as well as multivitamin and general strengthening complexes, will be developed.

«This is a wonderful project that we have been working on for a long time, - Zhanar Zhenis shared. - And I am happy that we have come to the start, and today we are laying the foundation for a large project aimed at producing useful and effective phyto-preparations. If such medicines are produced in Kazakhstan, not only the economy will benefit from this, but also the health of the nation. The cost of such drugs will be less, side effects - at a minimum, and a lot of benefits».

www.kaznu.kz