Materia Medica
This department has three Tibetan doctors, one botanist and another pharmaceutical chemist. four medical thangka painters, one botanical painter, two medicinal plant cultivators and two curators in the museum.

Aims & Objectives
The main objective of this department is aim at publishing works on Six Volumes of correct identification of Tibetan Medicinal plants and also directs, control the quality of the raw material being used in the production of pills and herbal nutraceutricals.  The quality control management was carried out through both traditional and modern quality assurance and safety measures.

Publications of Books
The first Vol.  Of The “Clear Mirror of Tibetan Medical Paintings”. Was published in 1999.

The Second Vol: of The “Clear Mirror of Tibetan Medical Paintings” is to be published in 2007.

 “A key Dictionary of Synonyms on Tibetan Materia Medica” was published in 1998.

The “Tibetan Medicinal Plants” was published in 2001.  A collaborative work between Mentsee Khang and Institute of Pharmacognosy and the Institute of Botany—University of Agricultural Sciences, University of Vienna, Austria. For more visit:
www.medpharm.de OR www.crcpress.com.

The “ Traditional Methods of Compounding of All Eight categories of Materia  Medica” was published in 2005

Herbarium
In 1990 this Dept establish new Herbarium for the collection of Tibetan Medicinal plant specimens from Western Himalayas, Sikkim, Nepal and Tropical India. The Herbarium hoards collections of many Tibetan Medicinal Plants during field explorations, which was conducted every year.

Quality Control
The medicinal plants identified through traditional systems were also analyzed by through the Modern quality control analytical techniques.
Aim
Documentation on quality as a result of GMP including quality control.

• The qualitative and quantities composition of all ingredients.
• the manufacturing process
• quality control of the starting material
• quality control of the intermediates
• quality control of the finished product
• stability testing

Cultivation of Medicinal Plants
From the beginning of 1998, this institute has taken initiatives in the conservation of medicinal plants through cultivation. The cultivation are done in two different places – a small medicinal plants garden in Dharamsala, where trials on cultivation are being carried and another five?acre land in Sonada, Darjeeling, where plants are propagated in a larger scale at an altitude of 2143 meters (approx. 7280ft).

Few plants, particularly in the red list data of TRAFFIC INDIA and WWF, received special attention and care. This includes plants such as Arctium lappa, Inula racemosa, Meconopsis sp. & Sassurea lappa etc. We achieved satisfactory results over the years on all the above-mentioned plants.

We resort to natural organic farming techniques in conservation of medicinal plants with emphasis laid on in-situ conservation. These steps are never omitted during the cultivation practices. Utilization of chemical fertilizers may increase the quantity in the production of plants for a certain proximate period, but it may bring undesirable side effects later. On the other hand, if plants are cultivated through organic farming in its own natural environment, it will surely be able to absorb the required nutrients for its growth and acquire higher therapeutic properties.

Upon request from the faculty members of the institute, short training courses on cultivation and conservation, based mainly on the traditional knowledge are being imparted at the center and at other institutional areas.

Botanical paintings
The botanical painting was done to show the true characters of the particular medicinal plants.

Traditional Medical Paintings
In the Tibetan Medical System, there are total of 79 medical paintings (Thangkas). The origination of these paintings goes back to Seventeenth century AD, which were painted by renowned Thangka painters of that time who were summoned by Desi Sangye Gyatso. These Thangkas of Tibetan medicine hold great historical legacy and serves as an important source of reference for students, researchers and Tibetan physicians. Likewise, the traditional illustrations of the high altitude medicinal plants in these Thangkas help in preserving the knowledge of identification of medicinal plants and to conduct studies and research. Currently the traditional Thangka painters of the department are supervised to produce exact replica of the complete set of the medical paintings.

Museum
This museum was inaugurated by H.H. the Dalai Lama on 23rd March 1997. The purpose of setting up this museum is to preserve the profound Tibetan medical system and fulfill the wishes of students, scholars and researchers from all over the globe. This museum encompasses, old and new paintings, plant paintings, plant photographs as well as information related to the origination and contents in Tibetan medicine and astro. Sciences. Besides, it also displays various instruments related to these two sciences and numerous samples of herbs, plants, woods, rocks, salts, minerals, gems and precious minerals with vivid captions and their medical uses.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

1. What are the methods of compounding Tibetan medicine and time of collecting the medicinal plants?
   Most of the Tibetan medicines are formulated with multi?compounds on the bases of their taste and potency. Ingredients of similar taste and potency are compounded in a formulation, which promotes the pills to be safer for consumption and free from side effects.
   
   The medicinal parts such as root, stem, branch, leaf, flower, fruit, bark, cortex and latex should be collected during a period when these plant parts have the highest potency. For example, flowers are collected when they are in bloom. The emetic medicinal plants are collected in the spring, when seedlings sprout.
   
   
2. How can medicinal plants produce different taste and potency?
   According to Tibetan medicine, taste and potency of the medicinal plants originates from the five elements—earth, water, fire, air and space. Roughly speaking, predominance of two elements produces the six main tastes; sweet, sour, salty, bitter, hot and astringent. For example, predominance of earth & water element gives rise to sweet taste, which has the potency to give bodily strength. Besides, sweet taste is particularly more favourable for children and older people, skinny people, throat problems and to reduce cough. Likewise, predominance of the other elements will show different potency.
   
   
3. Does the potency of the medicinal plants diminish, if kept for a long period?
   Generally it is recommended to use the herbs within one?year period. If these are stored beyond a year, then they will loose their therapeutic properties. However if one is unable to use the herbs within a year period, it is essential to prepare the herbs into concentrated decoction. This preparation will enable the herb to retain its therapeutic values for three to five years.
   
   
4. How can we maintain the collected medicinal plants?
   After proper collection and drying procedure, it is very important to store it in a dry place free from moist, insect, rat, fire, and pollution.
   
   
5. Are there any medicinal plants used in Tibetan medicine for health tonic?
   For example: Drocera peltata has potency to strengthen the body and clarity of sense organs etc. along with other herbs with similar potency.
   
   
6. Tibetan medicinal plants are found in what kind of altitude?
   Many High Altitude Tibetan medicinal plants are usually found around 2000m . However some of them found at an altitude between 4000m to 4800m.
   
   
7. Have you taken measures to prevent the extinction of the medicinal plants?
   Yes, we do. We have been imparting lectures on conservation through various channels. At the same time we have taken practical initiatives to protect medicinal plants through natural organic farming at Sonada, Darjeeling. In the years to follow, we are planning to expand the cultivation project depending upon availability of suitable land and financial supports from individuals or organisation.
   
   
8. What are the methods of cultivating medicinal plants without affecting their therapeutic potency?
   In the concept of Tibetan medicine, efficacy of the plants depends fundamentally on the plants’ habitats. Therefore the key point lies on the natural habitats of the plants. The cool potency medicinal plant must be grown in cooler regions like the northern side of the mountains. If the herbs are not being grown the particular habitat, it will not be effective for the particular diseases.
   
   
9. How many medicinal plants are there in Tibetan medicine?
   There are more 900 different types of The Tibetan Medicinal Plants. When these 900 were identified according to species level it is almost around 2000 medicinal plants. However, there only 300-400 medicinal plants are being currently used in the medicines preparation.

Information forwarded by:
Materia Medical Department