Unair Developing Anti-Dengue Fever Herbal Medicine

Surabaya, East Java (Antara) - Surabaya-based Airlangga University (Unair) Institute of Tropical Disease (ITD) is developing anti dengue fever herbal medicine. "If such a kind of medicine successfully developed, UNAIR will then be able to help the government raise the bargaining point in global negotiation," ITD Chairman Prof Nasronuddin said here on Monday. He said the herbal medicine development project for dengue fever would absorb a lot of workers because the raw material of the medicine could be planted in wide area across the country. "North Maluku is one of the appropriate places where the raw material of this medicine can be planted. Therefore the local government has allowed the development of the raw material in the area," he said. According to him, the development of the medicine could have a positive impact on the economy and welfare of the people. "The local government can provide jobs by opening the areas to plant the raw material of that medicine," he said, adding that the Ministry of Research and Technology has appointed ITD UNAIR at the national science and technology center in the field of health and medicine, especially in molecular biological research. As a medical research institute, ITD UNAIR has 15 study groups in the field of influenza, dengue fever, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, malaria, stem cell, human genetics, natural products, molecular oncology, bee health product development, Proteomic, Tuberculosis, Leprosy, Entomology, and Intestinal Infection. (*)