From Herbal Folklore to Modern Medicine

National Integrated Research Program on Medicinal Plants, Philippines

In 1974, the University of the Philippines Manila (UPM), several other universities and governmental research
agencies working under the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) of the Republic of the Philippines (the
Philippines) collaborated on the formation of the National Integrated Research Program on Medicinal Plants
(NIRPROMP), with a mandate to distribute inexpensive medicine to the poor, to propagate the use of herbal
preparations with proven medicinal efficacy and identify scientifically validated medicine that would improve the
Filipino pharmaceutical industry. NIRPROMP was established to address the rising costs of imported pharmaceutical
products, especially those used for frequent ailments such as the common cold, fever and headaches. At the time, the
Philippine pharmaceutical industry was not self-sustaining in these medicines, and companies were spending
approximately 150 million Philippine pesos (around US $22 million at the time) annually to import medicine. These
imported medicines were also prohibitively expensive and out of the reach of many patients. With this in mind,
NIRPROMP prioritized reducing the countrys dependence on imports and offering people more affordable
pharmaceutical products through locally developed herbal medicine.

Traditional knowledge found its way to the metropolis of Manila (Photo: Flickr/Benson Kua)

One such innovation came in 1995, when NIRPROMP isolated vitex negundo, a large, hardy, five-leaved aromatic
shrub with bluish-purple flowers, as a natural source for developing an effective herbal medicine. Known in the
Philippines as lagundi, the plant thrives in both humid and arid regions throughout Africa and Asia and has been used
by local populations for hundreds of years to effectively treat wounds, headaches, ulcers, skin diseases, diarrhea, and
the common cold, among many others. After successfully scientifically identifying the medicinal properties of each
part of the plant, NIRPROMP developed a lagundi-derived formula for a clinically proven cough and asthma medicine
in tablet and syrup form.

Traditional knowledge
Lagundi has been used for centuries by local populations in the Philippines for its medicinal properties, but these
were not described in detail until a book by Spanish Jesuit Father Colin that was published in 1900. In his book,
Father Colin wrote that lagundi was used regularly by Filipinos to treat wounds and as a pain medication. In addition,
he also found that they had vast traditional knowledge on the different medicinal properties of each part of the plant.
For example, while leaves are commonly used to ease headaches and cleanse ulcers, seeds are used to treat skin
diseases. The plants flowers are used to treat numerous diseases such as diarrhea and cholera, and its black fruit is
dried and eaten to alleviate and regulate intestinal discomfort. Finally, Father Colin discovered that the plants roots
are used to treat rheumatism and dysentery. This traditional medicinal knowledge surrounding lagundi is commonly
disseminated through herbolaryos traditional healers who use their traditional knowledge to prepare and
administer herbal medicine. Herbolaryos have served as authority figures on medicine in many local Filipino
communities for generations, and have enjoyed a great deal of respect and trust among many communities in the
country.

Research and development

The development of modern lagundi-based medicine was the result of the herbal medicine research and development
(R&D) that has been continuously undertaken by NIRPROMP. Headed by researchers primarily from UPM including
Dr. Nelia Maramba and Dr. Conrado Dayrit, R&D focused on clinically validating traditional medicine such as lagundi
for use in the development of symptomatic drugs (treatment that focuses on the symptoms of an ailment, not the
cause). This is done through isolating the active ingredient and then developing the associated drug. When research
started, lagundi was not at the top of the list of potential candidates. In fact, after an initial review of various research
projects focusing on traditional medicine in the Philippines alone, the R&D team discovered over 500 projects related
to isolating active ingredients in plants, none of which had been successfully commercialized.

The lagundi plant (Photo: Flickr/Ahmad Fuad Morad)

Dr. Dayrit suspected that one of the main reasons why these active ingredients were never commercialized into a
product was because consumers were generally unaware of the plants from which they originated and how the
ingredients were prepared into an herbal drug. Dr. Dayrit felt that this lack of knowledge bred distrust among
consumers of companies trying to develop new drugs based on relatively unknown plants, and that R&D should be
focused only on traditional medicine based on plants that are well known and trusted among the population. After
conducting a survey of consumers, the research team learned that although people generally do not trust medicine
based on a plant they were unaware of and manufactured by an unknown company, many do trust herbolaryos. The
R&D focus therefore shifted from journal articles of various research programs to herbolaryos, and NIRPROMP
started collecting folkloric data and conducting scientific tests to validate the herbolaryos claims.
With the help of the National Science and Technology Authority of the University of the Philippines Los Baos, from
1977 to 1982 NIRPROMP conducted a detailed survey of herbolaryos to identify those herbal preparations that have
promising medicinal properties. The survey included interviews with 1,000 herbolaryos and had detailed accounts of
the herbs they used and any side effects caused. Out of the 1,500 plants identified, NIRPROMP scientifically validated
that 480 of them contained beneficial medicinal properties.
Another R&D project was carried out in tandem and based on the information provided by the herbolaryos. Members
of this project poured over the records of the Department of Health to find out the leading cause of morbidity at the
time. The gathered data was used to prioritize the symptoms and/or diseases that herbal medicine would have the
best potential to treat. Researchers discovered that respiratory problems were among the most common symptoms
that held the potential to be treatable with traditional medicine.
Armed with this cache of data, the researchers developed five criteria with which to test plants against: safety,
efficacy, quality, availability of raw material, and propagation studies of the raw herbs. The first three criteria were
necessary to ensure that the medicine would be safe and effective, while the last two would ensure the sustainability of
the supplies for R&D, clinical trials and eventual commercialization. Long and detailed testing of each of the 480
plants ensued, and NIRPROMP identified ten plants that were scientifically validated as safe, effective and
sustainable.
Lagundi was one of these ten plants, and because respiratory problems were a primary concern among the
population, it was chosen to be the basis for a medicine to alleviate cough and asthma symptoms. The beneficial
properties of lagundi were first recognized during the survey of the herbolaryos, in which 70% of them vouched for
the plants efficacy in treating cough. The lack of any reports of adverse side effects bolstered their claims, and the
abundance of the plant throughout the Philippines made lagundi R&D even more attractive.

Through scientific and clinical tests, the research team identified four active ingredients of lagundi and found the
effect of each: (1) as a relaxant of the air passages in the lungs; (2) as an anti-histamine; (3) as an anti-inflammatory;
and (4) as an anti-asthmatic. While each ingredient acted weakly when administered on its own, they produced a
powerful cough suppression effect when used together, and without any adverse side effects. With these promising
results in hand, NIRPROMP developed a lagundi-based cough medicine in tablet form and launched clinical trials in
the late 1980s, with 119 patients suffering from mild to moderate cough participating. Each patient was given either a
placebo or the lagundi medicine, and those who received the lagundi medicine exhibited substantial positive medical
responses without any adverse reactions or side effects. By 1993, researchers had successfully developed a lagundibased cough medicine in tablet form. In October 1995, the Philippine Department of Health released a list of officially
endorsed plants that exhibit effective natural medicinal properties with proven therapeutic value. Lagundi was among
the plants listed, along with the nine other plants NIRPROMP isolated through its earlier R&D.

Lagundi was one of ten plants chosen for further research due to its properties at alleviating cough and asthma symptoms
(Photo: Flickr/Kristy Faith)

Invention
Following the successful development of lagundi cough tablets, NIRPROMP researchers worked to also develop the
medicine in a syrup form. Children and the elderly make up a significant portion of the demand for cough medicine,
but tablets can be difficult for them to take. In 1999, NIRPROMP successfully altered the formulation for lagundi
cough tablets into a lagundi cough syrup, which retains all the medicinal properties of the tablets, but is in a form that
is easier to administer.
The new syrup formulation uses decoction to extract the organic compounds from lagundi leaves. Decoction involves
drying the lagundi leaves and grinding them through a mesh until a fine powder is formed. Distilled water is then
added to moisten this powder, and it is then boiled for approximately fifteen minutes with occasional stirring in a low
to medium heat (which prevents possible degradation of the active ingredient). The resulting lagundi decoction is set
aside to cool and then filtered or strained. Sucrose is then dissolved in the prepared decoction using a turbine mixer,
after which the compound is aged for about three days. A small amount of methyl and propylparaben (a preservative)
is ground into a fine powder, and propylene gylco (an organic compound used as a solvent) is added until the
propylparaben is completely dissolved. This is introduced into the aged sucrose and lagundi decoction compound.
After mixing well, a small amount of citric acid and orange oil is added. Lastly, a sufficient amount of distilled water is
mixed in to obtain the required volume. This is thoroughly mixed together until a syrup solution is formed in the
appropriate consistency.

Utility model
Because NIRPROMPs research was funded by DOST and was a collaboration between UPM and PCHRD, a sectoral
council of DOST, all intellectual property (IP) is managed and owned by DOST. In order to protect the IP behind
lagundi cough syrup formula and promote commercialization, in 1999 DOST therefore applied for a utility model with
the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IP Philippines) for an herbal pharmaceutical composition that is
based on lagundi. The utility model was approved and issued in February 2001.

Licensing and commercialization

Dr. Neila Maramba, a founding member

of NIRPROMP (Photo:NIRPROMP)

Although NIRPROMP was responsible for the R&D and clinical trials of the lagundi cough medicine in tablet form,
PCHRD was responsible for coordinating and facilitating commercialization. When the lagundi cough tablet
formulation was ready for commercialization, PCHRD organized informational forums to gauge interest from local
pharmaceutical companies. Many of them expressed interest and as such in 1993 PCHRD developed and announced a
non-exclusive licensing agreement system. Under this agreement, the licensee pays an upfront fee for the technology
and royalties based on gross revenues less value added tax and the typical volume discount given to large drug store
chains. As the funding entity of PCHRD and NIRPROMP, all royalties and fees are paid to DSOT. Each licensee is
responsible for registering their derived products with the Philippine Food and Drug Administration (then known as
the Bureau of Food and Drugs). An important part of the license is the provision of the results of the clinical studies
which verify the safety and effectiveness of the drug. Without these, the drug cannot be sold as a legal medicine in the
Philippines.
The first licensee for the lagundi tablet technology was Herbafarm, a Filipino pharmaceutical company which used
lagundi grown from its own farms and at an in-house manufacturing facility at a DOST compound. Herbafarm
launched its lagundi products in 1994. Other licensees soon followed, one of which was Pascual Laboratories
(Pascual), a large Filipino pharmaceutical company that would go on to become the most successful licensee of
lagundi technology. Pascuals product based on the PCHRD lagundi formula was approved by the Bureau of Food and
Drugs in 1996 and continues to be on sale in the Filipino pharmaceutical market.
Despite the successful commercialization of the lagundi cough medicine formulation, it faced numerous difficulties
penetrating the market early on. At the time, medical professionals and some in the public did not consider herbal
medicine to be an effective form of medical therapy. To counter this problem, Pascual launched a marketing
campaign to improve the image of herbal treatments and lagundi cough medicine. The companys first strategy was to
promote the drug to medical practitioners directly, especially those at Rural Health Units (RHUs). RHUs are small
government funded clinics in rural areas, and as such they were very open to using lagundi cough medicine because it
was developed through a government funded program. To further verify the effectiveness of the drug, in 1997 Pascual
submitted it to the International Exhibition of New Products, Inventions and Techniques in Geneva, Switzerland,
where it was awarded the silver certificate for R&D. The company took this award back home and used it extensively
in advertising and developing awareness, and it helped change the opinions of medical professionals and skeptical
consumers.
Pascual and other pharmaceutical companies marketing lagundi cough medicine picked up the pace of their
advertising campaigns in the late 1990s and 2000s. By 2006, Pascual was running television commercials during
popular morning shows and advertising on the radio and billboards. Other companies followed suit, and their
successes increased interest in licensing the technology. In 2009, Herbs and Nature Corporation entered into a

licensing agreement and launched its own lagundi cough medicine, and in 2010 New Market Link Pharmaceutical
Corporation, Herbcare and Pharmacare all did the same and introduced lagundi cough medicine products to the
market.

Trademarks

Pascual's trademark
application (IP Philippines
Application No. 42011000094)

An integral part of the success of the efforts of Pascual and other companies was the renewed brand image they
helped create for lagundi, and this was facilitated by the strong brand names the companies created for their
respective products. Recognizing the need to protect its popular brand names, in January 2011 Pascual applied for
trademarks with IP Philippines for Ascof, Ascof Lagundi, and a stylized logo that includes an image of a lagundi leaf.
Pascuals efforts paid off, as by early 2011 the companys lagundi cough medicines became the second most popular
cough medications in the Philippines. In February 2009, Trevenodd Corporation (Trevenodd), a newcomer to the
industry, applied for a trademark registration for its Plemex brand lagundi cough medicine, which was registered in
August of that same year.

Technology transfer
Until 2009, the technology for lagundi tablets and syrup was transferred through licensing agreements between
PCHRD, a government entity, and the private sector. However, according to Republic Act 10055, otherwise known as
the Philippine Technology Transfer Act of 2009 (the Act), technology developed backed by government funding
must be completely transferred to entities such as universities or companies that can translate this technology into
useful products and services. The goal of the Act is to promote and facilitate the transfer, dissemination, and effective
use, management and commercialization of IP, technology and knowledge resulting from R&D funded by the
government for the benefit of the national economy and all Filipino people.
Based on this new policy, PCHRD formally transferred the lagundi cough medicine syrup formula to UPM, which
would then be tasked with further R&D, licensing and commercialization activities. In October 2010, Azarias
Pharmaceutical Laboratories, Inc. (Azarias) made an application to UPM to become the first licensee of lagundi syrup
under this new framework. Following the evaluation and recommendation of PCHRD, the agreement was officially
signed in January 2011. The licensing agreement was the first of its kind between a public R&D organization (UPM)
and a private corporation (Azarias) in the Philippines since the Act was ratified in 2010.

Business results
When lagundi cough medicine was first launched on the market in 1994, it faced an uphill battle of consumer
skepticism. However, through a consecutive series of lucrative licensing agreements and concerted efforts to improve
the image of herbal medicine and lagundi derived products, the drug has been a success for the many companies that
have commercialized it as well as NIRPROMP, PCHRD and DSOT. This is evident in the rapid increase in royalties
received by DSOT, which rose from PHP 160,000 (approximately US $4,000) in 1997 to PHP 9,751,000
(approximately US $210,000) in 2009.
The successful commercialization of lagundi has also been beneficial for the many farmers that grow and sell the
shrub to manufacturers. One such example is the case of the lagundi farmers on the southwestern island of Palawan.
With the help of a non-governmental organization, the farmers were able to secure a distribution deal with Pascual to

produce lagundi. Under the terms of the deal, Pascual lent money to the farmers to install solar powered dryers and
mills so that they could produce the lagundi in powdered form. With the help of this new equipment, the farmers were
able to produce more lagundi than before and improve their processing ability. Within two years the farmers not only
paid Pascual back, but also became an important supplier of lagundi, which significantly improved the livelihood for
the farmers, their families and communities.

Farmers in Palawan were able to benefit economically through a distribution agreeement with Pascual (Photo:
Flickr/CdricBuer)

Championing technology transfer and herbal medicine

Passed down for generations, the traditional knowledge of lagundi has been transformed into a safe, scientifically
validated herbal drug. With the help of the Philippine government and collaborations between universities and
pharmaceutical companies, the technology was transferred and smart use IP structures such as utility models and
trademarks ensured its success. Once only in the domain of herbolaryos, the lagundi plant now uplifts the livelihood
of local farmers and brings an affordable, safe and effective medicine for all.

Sources, references and related links

This case study is based on information from:

A Review on Vitex negundo L. A Medicinally Important Plant

Filipino firm granted license to distribute lagundi syrup
Overview of devolution of health services in the Philippines
Philippine Council for Health Research and Development
TOFIL Awardee - Dr. Nelia Cortes-Maramba, M.D.
University of the Philippines - Manila
WIPO National Workshop on IP & Technology Management for Universities and R&D
Institutions - Invention Disclosure Process, University of the Philippines