TEHRAN –The vice president for science, technology, and knowledge-based economy has highlighted the importance of synergy with government bodies to enhance traditional medicine capabilities.

Rouhollah Dehqani-Firouzabadi also stressed the importance of developing technologies related to medicinal plants and traditional medicine in the country, IRNA reported.

Despite existing capacities in medicinal plants and traditional medicine, these fields have not progressed noticeably, the official noted.

Firouzabadi went on to say that the national document for the development of traditional medicine has not achieved the expected level of success yet.

The field of traditional medicine can bring many opportunities for the country, he added.

“The establishment of educational and research institutions can serve as a means to address setbacks and facilitate the implementation of strategic plans in the area of medicinal plants and traditional medicine.”

Medicinal plants

More than 300 medicines are made out of 1,200 medicinal plants in the country.

The production of medicines from plants in the country dates back to 1980.

About 4,400 natural products and over 2,000 traditional products are being supplied by domestic companies to the market.

So far, about 30,000 plant species have been identified in the world, with Iran's share of about 8,000 species which is more than the whole of species found in Europe.

The per capita consumption of medicinal plants in Iran is about one kilogram of dried plants, in other words, 83,000 tons of medicinal plants worth 1.2 trillion rials (around $4 million) are consumed in the country, while in Europe this amount is 900 grams and in the United States is 2.5 kilogram.

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