You can search for courses, events, people, and anything else.
Sustainably cultivating medicinal herbs: humans, economy and environment
The proposed research topic is part of a joint research project between Western Sydney University and Beijing University of Chinese Medicine. It aims to assess the feasibility of cultivating a high-quality Chinese medicinal herb (CMH) in Australia, leading to commercialisation geared towards the Australian and international markets. This project builds on Australia’s reputation for good agricultural and manufacturing practice for the cultivation of clean and high-quality medicinal herbs and commercialisation of medicinal products. The initial phase of the project involves a trial cultivation of CMH at Hawkesbury Campus, focusing on the selection and cultivation of an optimal CMH species with clinical demand and high value.
Ensuring a sustainable supply of authentic CMH remains a global challenge. The Chinese herb horticulture project aims to establish an innovative model for cultivating authentic CMH in Australia to meet the increasing demand in both domestic and international markets. Currently, two species, namely native Dendrobium and Baiji, are being grown in the glasshouse at Hawkesbury Campus. In collaboration with industrial partners, the project also plans to include two additional high-value herbs, Tianma and Sanqi. The trial will further evaluate the medicinal properties of native Dendrobium and determine the optimal growth conditions for the other selected herbs.
While maintaining the growth conditions, such as light, temperature, and soil pH, based on the original habitat of each CMH species, the study will assess the feasibility of cultivating these herbs in Australia. To assess their quality, an identification method derived from the Chinese Pharmacopoeia will be employed. The quality assessment will encompass two key aspects: the identification of effective components and screening for heavy metals, pesticide residues, and microbial contamination. The obtained results will be compared with samples of the same CMH species cultivated in China under identical growth conditions.
For further inquiries, please contact our Centre at chinesemedicine@westernsydney.edu.au
