MEDICINAL PLANTS AND THEIR APPLICATION IN THE USSR

The people's health is of primary social importance in the Soviet Union. Health protection is continuously the focus of attention. Medicinal plants and drugs of vegetative origin do not play the least part in this programme, with their share in the world total drugs production of about 40%. Many of these medicinal plants are used for the treatment of cardio-vascular diseases (77%), and/or diseases of the liver and digestive systems. They are responsible for 80% of the uterine medicines and 73% of the expectorants. The majority of corticoid-hormonal preparations contain vegetative basic ingredients. The study and economically efficient distributions of the natural resources as well as the preparation of new drugs is carried out by specialized chemical-pharmaceutical scientific-research institutes and by more than 20 pharmacognostic chairs in the pharmaceutical and medical schools of higher education. The Botanical Institutes of the Academy of Sciences in the USSR and Union Republics and the Botanical Gardens are also involved in these matters.

This work is supervised by the NPO "All-Union Scientific-Research Institute of Medicinal Plants".

Botanical research in the USSR showed that out of about 21,000 higher cryptogamous and flowering plants studied 2,500 are of medical value. Over 200 species are applicable as a raw basic ingredient in the chemo-pharmaceutical industry and in apothecaries. Part of the production is exported.

Medicinal Plants is a branch of industry in the USSR of the official body of "Tsentrosouz", comprising specialized departments and large state-owned companies, such as APK "Souzefirlecrasprom". Many scientists and experts are working at the vital problems of the application of natural plant resources for stabilizing the basic ingredient material and preparing new highly effective curative and preventative medicines. Their work resulted in hundreds of products successfully introduced into application by the domestic Health System. Over 200 species of medicinal plants are used in homoeopathic-practice.

The All-Union Scientific Research Institute of Medicinal Plants conducts vast research work on providing a stable basic ingredient for steroid-hormonal preparations. The development of scientific techniques for the screening of new Medicinal Plants and their introduction and cultivation under various soil and climatic conditions within the USSR also belongs to this research programme.

The chemistry of biologically active substances as well as physiological-biochemical processes for increasing the output of the active substances are thoroughly studied. The pharmacological