On 12 December, a Review Panel convened at the VNUHCM-University of Science to assess the outcomes of the national project titled: “Research and development of formulations for lowering blood uric acid levels and managing gout, derived from indigenous Vietnamese medicinal plants: White Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum sinense), Gnetum montanum, and Plantain (Plantago major).”

The project achieved significant advances in phytochemistry. The team successfully isolated and characterised the structures of 47 pure compounds from the three target species. Notably, this collection includes novel compounds that significantly enrich the existing library of Vietnamese natural products. These findings have been validated by the scientific community through publication in two international journals and two national specialist journals.

Pharmacological studies demonstrated the formulation’s distinctive, multi-target mechanism of action. Unlike conventional therapies, which typically target a single pathway, this product simultaneously inhibits the enzyme xanthine oxidase (XO) and the protein URAT1. This dual action reduces uric acid levels whilst providing anti-inflammatory and analgesic benefits. Furthermore, acute and sub-chronic toxicity testing has confirmed the product’s safety for human consumption.

Building on this scientific evidence, the project addressed key technical challenges by establishing and validating quality standards for both raw materials and finished products. The manufacturing process for hard capsules was optimised for a 10,000-unit batch size, ensuring stability and suitability for industrial scale-up. The viability of this process was demonstrated by the production of 30,000 hard capsules and the securing of intellectual property rights, evidenced by the acceptance of a patent application for the “Process for preparing herbal extracts with blood uric acid-lowering effects.”

The strategy of optimising the entire value chain—from raw material to finished product—has proven highly effective. Utilising indigenous medicinal plants (Chrysanthemum sinense, Gnetum montanum, Plantago major) reduces reliance on imports and lowers production costs, whilst encouraging the expansion of domestic cultivation. Consequently, these efforts foster job creation and enhance the domestic capacity of the Vietnamese pharmaceutical sector. The project’s high commercialisation potential offers significant opportunities for future technology transfer and IP licensing to pharmaceutical firms.

Beyond the economic benefits, providing an effective, safe solution for the treatment of gout holds substantial social value by minimising the adverse side-effects often associated with synthetic therapies and reducing the burden on the public health system. Additionally, the project successfully fulfilled its educational objectives through the training of high-calibre staff, including the successful supervision of a researcher to completion.

The Review Panel concluded unanimously that the project had fully met all objectives outlined in the proposal, satisfying rigorous standards of scientific quality and practical application.