This Department has a mandate to produce quality traditional medicines from sustainably sourced medicinal herbs and based on traditional formula using modern production technology and incorporating GMP principles.

Resources for Traditional Medicine

According to gso-ba rig-pa, more than 2990 different types of raw materials are known for use in the manufacture of traditional medicine and about 600 medicinal plant species have been identified in Bhutan. However, the MSP currently uses about 300 ingredients to manufacture 98 compounds that constitute as National Essential Traditional Medicine List and 14 additional products for commercial purposes. The main resource base, around 90% of the prevailing traditional medicine is medicinal plants and the remaining part is derived from animal and mineral origins. The high altitude medicinal plants are sourced from altitude ranging from 3500 to 5000 meters above sea level (msl) and low altitude from 200 to 1500 msl. Although most of the plant ingredients are collected from wild, some of the species are now being cultivated/domesticated by the farmers. Medicinal plant collection may be perhaps one of the first economical activities initiated and sustained in this highland.

Of the total 18.51 tons of raw materials procured (PRU inventory 2004-05), about 15.7 tons (85%) of it were collected within the country. The remaining 15% were mostly imported from India. The MSP procures or collects around 13.5 metric tons of raw ingredients on average but this quantity is expected to double within next 2 to 3 three years. This would ultimately exert pressure on the natural resources if conservation issues are not addressed and strategic utilization and sources not identified.

The starting or raw materials are assigned to the following categories on the basis of their origin:

1. High altitude herbs growing at altitude between 3500 to 5000 meters above sea level (msl)

• Collected                   1216 varieties
• Cultivated                  125 varieties

2. Low altitude herbs growing at altitude between 200 to 1500 msl

• Cultivated or collected in Bhutan            82 41 varieties
• Imported          41 varieties

3. Animal origin materials

• Home origin                  122 varieties
• Imported                        10 varieties

4. Mineral

• Home origin                3524 varieties
• Imported                      11 varieties

Summary of Main Dosage forms

1. Powder                                       15 products
2. Tablet                                          27 products
3. Capsule                                     33 products
4. Pills                                             29 products
5. Syrups                                        01 product
6. Ointment                                    02 products
7. Medicated oil                            03 products
8. Fermented mixture                  01 products
9. Hot compression                    01 products
10. Teas                                           02 products

Production Staff

1. Technical staff with Master's Degree                       : 01
2. Technical staff with Diploma                                     : 08
3. Technical staff with Certificate                                  : 09
4. Support staff                                                                 : 04

Total production staff : 22