WHO monographs on selected medicinal plants

WHO monographs on selected  medicinal plants

Volume 3

 

Since 1999, WHO has published two volumes of the WHO monographs

on selected medicinal plants. Volume 1 includes 28 monographs and

volume 2 contains an additional 30 monographs. Both of these volumes

are now available on the WHO web site http://www.who.int/medicines/

organization/trm/orgtrmstrat.htm).

Despite the increasing use of herbal medicines, there is still a signifi cant

lack of research data in this fi eld, so that the WHO monographs are playing

an increasingly important role. For example, in the recent WHO global survey

on national policy and regulation of herbal medicines, of the 34 countries

reporting that they do not have their own national monographs and use

other monographs, 13 use the WHO monographs as an authoritative reference.

Moreover, the format of the WHO monographs continues to be commonly

used for developing national monographs. In the same survey, of the

46 countries that have already developed national monographs on herbal

medicines, several countries, such as Armenia, Bhutan, Brazil, Malaysia, and

Myanmar, reported having used the WHO format as a basis.

In May 2002, WHO launched its Traditional Medicine Strategy covering

the period 2002–2005. In 2003, the World Health Assembly adopted resolution

WHA56.31 on traditional medicine, which requests WHO to seek, together

with WHO collaborating centres, evidence-based information on the

quality, safety and cost-effectiveness of traditional therapies. The objective

is to provide guidance to Member States on the defi nition of products to be

included in national directives and proposals on traditional-medicine policy

implemented in national health systems. The continued development of the

WHO monographs on selected medicinal plants is one of the important activities

being undertaken to meet the demands from Member States and in the

implementation of the WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy.

Download:

http://apps.who.int/medicinedocs/index/assoc/s14213e/s14213e.pdf