Story Behind the Picture

“Herbal trainees practicing how to identify active compounds in
natural ingredients (herbs) using thin layer chromatography (TLC). Active compounds are secondary metabolites produced by natural ingredients including herbs. It is responsible for activity, toxicity and synergy. Two participants were preparing the stationary phase. Two other participants were dissolving extract using specific solvent.Two other participants were making the mobile phase to move the active compounds contained in the extract according to the polarity gradient.”

 


Profile

Center for herbal medicine was formally established in July 2010. Prior to its establishment, lecturers with research interests in herbs formed the Herbal Medicine working group which then became the Center. The vision is to become an excellent and reputable center of international herbal ingredients research, oriented to the interests of the nation and society based on Pancasila.

The key driver of the establishment of the Center of herbal medicine is its popularity among students. Half of the medical students enrolled in the class of 1999-2001 took herbal medicine for their thesis.Similarly, the center also attracts many master and doctoral students to conduct studies on herbal medicine. Until now, herbal medicine continues to be a popular research topics among undergraduate and Profile postgraduate students at the Faculty of Medicine, Public Health and Nursing Universitas Gadjah Mada. The Center of Herbal Medicine also involved lecturers and researchers from the Faculty as well as clinical practitioners from the Dr. Sardjito Hospital. Their background ranges from basic medical science to clinical medicine who are interested in the development of herbal medicine. Interdisciplinary collaboration are performed in three areas:  exploration test material, preclinical test and clinical trials.

Several studies have been conducted and are still on going in the following areas: anticancer, antimalarial, larvicides, antifertility, nutraceutical, antirheumatic, antikeloids and aphrodisiac.