Jakarta, April 3 (Antara) - Rich in medicinal plants, Indonesia has
been studying the healing properties of its medicinal herbs to provide
them with scientific recognition and patent rights so that they can be
developed commercially.
By studying their healing properties, Indonesia is now in the process
of providing its 'jamu' products with scientific recognition and patent
rights that can increase their competitiveness and allow doctors to
prescribe them.
Since 2010, experts have been conducting
researches on medicinal herbs to ascertain their medicinal properties
that can help cure diseases and explore possibilities for including them
in doctors' prescription.
The Health Ministry has since carried out a program to 'scientize'
Indonesian medicinal herbs to make them as scientifically credible as
modern drugs and internationally acceptable.
Now, the government will give patent rights to its herbal medicines,
which have been scientifically recognized as having credible healing
powers.
"We will coordinate with relevant parties to give patent rights to
'jamu' products that have passed the scientific assessment process,"
Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Puan Maharani
said while inspecting Medicinal Plants and Traditional Medicine
Development Center (BP2T00T) in Karanganyar, Central Java, on Tuesday.
With its abundant medicinal plant species, Indonesia has a great
potential to tap the healing and economic potential of its herbal
products. It has at least 3,000 types of herbal medicines, or jamu,
which have long been used in popular alternative treatments for various
health concerns.
Although
most of the country's medicinal herbs have yet to receive scientific
recognition for their medicinal properties, jamu attracts consumers who
wish to avoid the side effects of modern prescription drugs.
For
example, in 2010, based on data provided by the Health Ministry's
Research and Development Center, some 50 percent of the country's
population used jamu to treat their health complaints.
The
government is currently encouraging experts to carry out scientific
assessment of the healing properties of its herbal medicines so that
they can be given patent rights.
In this case, jamu's commercial viability and healing properties can be tapped to gain economic benefits.
Minister Puan Maharani explained that her office was pushing for
providing patent rights and support their marketing both at home and
abroad.
She noted that many jamu products deserve patent rights; for instance,
those that can heal osteoarthritis, hypertension, hemorrhoids,
dyspepsia, and gout complaints.
"We want all jamu products in
the country to get patent rights, particularly those proven to have
healing effects," Puan Maharani remarked.
For this purpose, since 2010, the Ministry of Health has been
organizing a program to study and scientifically recognize medicinal
herbs that have healing properties.
"The initiative to acquire
scientific recognition for jamu's healing properties started in 2010.
Our goal is to give a scientific base to popular beliefs in their
healing properties," Sri Indrawati, then director general of
pharmaceuticals and healthcare instruments management at the Health
Ministry, stated some time ago.
The
program covers both upstream and downstream scientific activities to
prove the safety, properties, and quality of all herbal ingredients
acquired from medicinal plants in Indonesia.
So
far, scientific studies have proven the safety, properties, and quality
of five jamu that can heal hemorrhoids, dyspepsia, osteoarthritis,
light hypertension, and hyperuricemia or gout complaints.
On Tuesday, Minister Maharani launched the five medicinal herbs (jamu) that have passed the 'scientification' process.
The herbs have been proven to contain medicinal properties and are safe for consumption.
"The scientifically recognized medicinal herbs have been launched as
part of the government's commitment to preserving and popularizing
jamu," the Coordinating Minister said while launching the medicinal
herbs in Tawangmangu, C Java, on Tuesday.
She added that the government recognized jamu in its healthcare system
through Law Number 36/2009 on health. Jamu has long been a part of the
country's traditional health-care culture.
Besides the law on health, Government Regulation (PP) Number 103/2014
on traditional health-care services also regulates medicinal herbs.
The government is also encouraging the cultivation of medicinal plants
so they can provide raw materials for the production of herbal
medicines. Moreover, Indonesia has some 7,000 varieties of medicinal
plants.
Therefore, Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman said the prospect
of medicinal plants is promising. For example, two rows of 'purwaceng'
or ginseng plantation can generate an income of some Rp1.4 million.
"If this medicinal plant is developed, it will have extraordinary
commercial values," Minister Sulaiman, who accompanied Coordinating
Minister Maharani during the observation of the BP2T00T center,
remarked.
He explained that one hectare of purwaceng plantation can produce some
1.5 tons of raw materials with a commercial value of some Rp2.25
billion.
In this respect, the government is serious about developing jamu as one
of the sectors to support the people's economic development. Minister
Maharani has, therefore, decided to declare Sukoharjo district in
Central Java as Indonesia's herbal medicine production center.
By
declaring the jamu production center district, the minister hopes that
it will serve as a center for the people's movement to develop jamu as
one of their economic strengths.
Maharani
considers this movement as an economical and cultural one where the
government and people cooperate to increase the competitiveness of the
country's herbal medicines.
According
to Maharani, the medical herb product, which is part of the cultural
heritage of the nation and one of the mainstay products, can contribute
to the people's economic growth, enhance employment opportunities, and
improve the people's welfare.***3***
(T.A014/INE)
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(T.A014/A/BESSR/A/Yosep) 03-04-2015 20:39: |
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