New possibilities of "old" medicine
Last reviewed: 16.10.2021
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In Sweden, the Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded. For the first time in the history of Chinese science, the prize was awarded to the Chinese pharmacologist for the creation of a medicine for the treatment of malaria, thanks to which millions of lives were saved.
The 84-year-old Tu Yuu became the Nobel laureate this year.
50 years ago she managed to isolate artemisinin from wormwood, which later became one of the main components of the drug from malaria. Wormwood sweet was first mentioned in one of the works on traditional Chinese medicine of the IV century (in the text it was recommended to use the plant in feverish conditions).
As the statistics show, over 15 years of using artemisinin managed to save more than 200 million lives in Africa and Chinese traditional medicine in the fight against a deadly infection has made an important contribution. But besides this, artemisinin successfully coped with the epidemic of 2003, which broke out in China. In this regard, the drug, which was obtained due to the knowledge of traditional medicine, received a worthy recognition among Western specialists.
For a long time Western doctors refused to recognize the methods of traditional Chinese medicine, which were based on the teachings of the structure and functioning of the human body and the existence of the life energy "qi", but it is difficult to deny that for 2 thousand years of practice traditional medicine has reached a high level and can help in the treatment of many dangerous diseases that modern medicine can not cope with.
Today the situation is changing and after several decades of research traditional Chinese medicine has been recognized not only at home but also far beyond its borders.
Recently, more and more people are turning for help to specialists who practice these methods of treatment.
By the way, a few months ago, the use of Kanglaite in the third phase of clinical trials was approved. This drug contains active ingredients and helps fight cancerous tumors. It contains substances from the bead - grain crop, which is used in China since ancient times.
The first 2 phases of the studies have already proved the effectiveness of Kanglaite in the treatment of advanced stages of lung cancer, pancreas, liver.
If the third stage of the test is also successful, then this drug will be the third after aremizinin and ephedrine, which is obtained on the basis of traditional knowledge of Chinese medicine and used by Western specialists.
Now China is providing active support and financial assistance for the development of traditional medicine - only in 2013 more than $ 78 billion was spent, and this is 1/3 of the total amount for the development of medicine, allocated by the state.
In May, the Chinese government published a plan that will support traditional treatment practices within the national health system within five years, and China intends to make traditional medicine competitive. At least one hospital in a city or county will introduce traditional Chinese methods of treatment.
Now there is no doubt that the opening of Tu Yu will bring traditional Chinese medicine to a new level, and the legacy that Chinese doctors have collected and passed on from generation to generation for generations will help scientists make yet another meaningful discovery.