The Myongbang Pharmaceutical Factory produces Koryo medicines developed by the Koryo Medicine General Hospital, a centre of traditional medicine in the DPRK.

It produces over 20 kinds of Koryo medicines efficacious for the treatment of metabolic, cardiovascular and cerebral diseases.

Its major production indexes include tablets, injections, tinctures and teas made of ginkgo leaf extract.

Candidate academician, Prof. and Dr. Kim Jong Gil, researcher of the Koryo Medicine Institute under the Koryo Medicine General Hospital, said: Gingko tree is the one and only “living fossil” plant which survives still today among the plants that grew thick till the Cretaceous period of the Mesozoic Era. Gingko leaf has ingredients of improving blood circulation, lowering blood pressure and blood-sugar levels and promoting antioxidation. Tonguibogam (Encyclopedia of traditional medicine of Korea) published in the 17th century in our country has a record that dried gingko leaf was used as a medicinal material.

Every August and September, workers of the factory collect leaves of gingko trees growing in the mountains and fields far away from the capital city and extract them through several separation processes for use in production.

The Gingko Leaf Cardiac Injection and Gingko Leaf Cardiac Tincture, which are used in treating cardiac ischemia, cardiac infraction, angina pectoris, palsy of the limbs and senile dementia, are widely known abroad for their good efficacy.

The products of the factory have received national quality authentication certificates, and the method of extracting gingko leaves was awarded the February 16 Sci-Tech Prize, the highest honour in the science and technology sector of the country.

It also produces such efficacious Koryo medicines as Angunguhwang-hwan, Kirilow Snakegourd Injection, Salvia miltiorrhiza and Cnidiumofficinale Tablets against Ischemia, Schisandra Fruit and Clematis Solution against Nephrolithiasis, Borax and Kudzu Root Anticonvulsant Tablets, etc.

Manager Choe Jang Un said: The Koryo medicines contain a variety of effective elements, so they have their peculiarities as the traditional medicine which treats all diseases and protects all organs of the body. Therefore, they have a wide range of application and less side effects. Our factory, backed by the competent research group, will make a tangible contribution to improving the people’s health by producing many new medicines developed as suited to the physical constitution and characteristics of the Koreans.

(Naenara - January 24, 2021)