PREPPED AND READY: Guangzhou Pharmaceutical's booth at the 56th PharmChina, the largest pharmaceutical exhibition in China, held in Shenzhen in 2006, attracts many visitors. Guangzhou Pharmaceutical Holdings Ltd. is joining hands with many other research institutes to develop medicines to fight against future superbugs (CFP)

With A/H1N1, popularly known as "swine flu," becoming a distant memory, concerns are mounting about the next pandemic and the catastrophic effect it could have on the global population. To alleviate the tension, Guangzhou Pharmaceutical Holdings Ltd. is taking a non-traditional approach to fighting future widespread diseases by avoiding antibiotic treatment and embracing traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).

The pharmaceutical company launched a program with the South China Center for Innovative Pharmaceuticals on September 11 to specifically develop medicines to fight the next superbug. They plan to invest 50 million yuan ($7.32 million) in three major projects and aim for results in five years.

Li Chuyuan, President of Guangzhou Pharmaceutical Holdings Ltd., said the Ministry of Health is closely monitoring viruses and fatal diseases throughout the world to help China prepare for future outbreaks. Minister of Health Chen Zhu said emphasis would be placed on using TCM to combat infectious diseases, marking the first time that the Chinese Government expressed its concerns over contagions.

The State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine attached great importance to the ministry's decree and committed more support to anti-bacteria and anti-virus research. Taking part in the effort, Guangzhou Pharmaceutical connected with a number of research institutes and formed numerous researches and plans to develop medication by combining Chinese and Western medicines.

TCM's advantages

"TCM has some unique advantages in preventing and curing superbugs," said Li. Li explained that making TCM is a complicated process but produces medication that has anti-bacterial effects. For instance, some herbal medicines, such as honeysuckle, radix and andrographis paniculata, can curb certain bacterium and viruses and also regulate and protect the body's immune system.

Guangzhou Pharmaceutical's anti-superbug program has received support from veteran Chinese pharmaceutical experts and academicians from the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Li said due to the special climate and soil around Guangdong, a large number of anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory TCM are readily available in the region and has enabled doctors and pharmacist to accumulate rich clinical experience. Now, the company strives to build the largest research and development base for anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory TCM in the world.

Wang Guoqiang, Vice Ministry of Health, expressed his appreciation of Guangzhou Pharmaceutical's commitment and vowed to give full support to the research and development for anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory TCMs.

A pharmaceutical giant

Guangzhou Pharmaceutical Holdings Ltd. a wholly state-owned enterprise, is principally engaged in producing and distributing Chinese patent medicines, the research and development of natural medicines and biological drugs, as well as wholesaling and retailing of Western and Chinese medicines and medical equipment. The company's major products include fever-clearing and anti-toxic remedies, diabetes drugs, medicines for cough, the common cold, arthritis and gastric diseases, and an array of other products. It is rated as one of the top 50 enterprises in Guangdong Province and one of the top 500 companies in China.