First int’l symposium on medicinal plants, natural compounds held in Binh Dinh
The first Vietnam International Symposium on Medicinal Plants and Natural Compounds was held in the south central province of Binh Dinh from April 15-17, with nearly 120 delegates, including speakers, scientists and researchers from 13 countries taking part.
Co-hosted by the Meeting Vietnam Association (Rencontres du Vietnam) and the International Centre for Interdisciplinary Science and Education (ICISE), the event featured nearly 50 presentations at plenary and parallel sessions covering medicinal plants and other valuable natural resources, advancements in the discovery of natural compounds; cultivation, production and application of medicinal plants and their biologically active compounds.
Participants delved into various biological aspects of medicinal plants at the agronomic and molecular levels, the development and discovery of new bioactive extracts, molecules and herbal-based food as well as the establishment of a public-private network between Vietnamese and global entities.
According to the World Health Organisation, over 80% of the global population use medicinal plants for health care and wellness, and this trend has been on the rise. Vietnam is one of the 15 countries globally in the herbal medicine map thanks to its diverse flora with many medicinal plants of special therapeutic value and high economic value.
In recent years, climate change and ecosystem degradation due to unsustainable development practices have posed numerous challenges, demanding more scientific approaches to the development of medicinal plants and natural products in Vietnam.
