Ping Chung Leung
Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Title: China’s new directives on nutraceuticals and Hong Kong experience
Biography
Biography: Ping Chung Leung
Abstract
Nutraceuticals could be interpreted as nutritional supplements any food substance that is good for health from dairy products to protein or fruit concentrates. Nutraceuticals could be more specific with clear target groups and special claims. China is moving towards that direction. Its State FDA since 2015 has issued a series of guideline for the development of nutritional supplements with special medicinal purposes and contents. Three areas are given immediate priorities viz. infants, lactating mothers and elderlies. Proper clinical trials are recommended. The Institute of Chinese Medicine at Chinese University of Hong Kong has been seriously developing medicinal supplements since year 2000. It has followed the evidence-based approach: From quality assurance, safety, bioactivity confirmations to proper clinical trials. Classical popular complex herbal formulations have been modified into simple combinations to form effective, medicinal supplement to support allopathic treatment of special conditions. The choice of herbs is guided by the pathological processes involved in particular disease entities. Examples of medicinal supplements developed for cancer and cardiovascular treatment will be given to illustrate the principle and procedures involved.