Articles
MEDICINAL PLANTS AND THEIR APPLICATION IN THE USSR
Medicinal Plants, i.e. drugs of vegetative origin, play not the least part in this cause, their share in the world total drugs production, being about 40%. Many of the medicinal plants monopolize the treatment of cardiovascular diseases (77%), diseases of liver and digestive system (74%), 80% of the uterine medicines and 73% of the expectorants.
The majority of corticoid-hormonal preparations involves vegetative raw material.
Studies and economically efficient distribution of the natural resources as well as preparation of the new drugs is done by the specialized chemical – pharmaceutical scientific-research institutes, pharmacognostic chairs (over 20) in the pharmaceutical and medicinal high schools.
Botanical Institutes of the Academy of sciences of the USSR and Union Republics, Botanical Gardens etc.
The work is supervised by the NPO "All-Union Scientific-Research Institute of Medicinal Plants".
Flora research in the USSR showed that out of 21 thousand higher cryptogamous and flowering plants studied 2,5 thousand are medically valuable, over 200 species are applicable as a raw material in chemo-pharmaceutical industry, in apothecaries and for export needs.
Medicinal Plants-is a branch of industry in the USSR, comprising specialized departments, large state-owned companies, such as APK "Souzefirlecrasprom", official bodies "Tsentrosouz".
Scientists and experts in our country work most strenuously at the vital problems of natural plants resources utilization, stabilizing the raw material basis, and preparing new highly effective curative and preventive medicines.
The work done resulted in hundreds of preparations and medicinal forms successfully introduced into the practice of the domestic Health System, some of these are exported.
Over 200 species are used in homeopathy.