Utilizing modern technology in medicinal herb extraction

Nguyen Van Manh is a relatively well-known figure in Phuong Nam Ward, Uong Bi City, Quang Ninh Province. Locals admire him not only as a skilled and dedicated physician with expertise in diagnosing and treating illnesses but also as a pioneer who developed a modern technological system for processing medicinal herbs. Consequently, his efforts have helped promote the value of traditional Vietnamese remedies.

The idea of developing a technological system for processing medicinal herbs had been a long-standing ambition for Manh. However, it was only in 2014, with the launch of the OCOP program, that he took the initiative to participate, and received support from provincial and municipal authorities for machinery investment.

"My family has passed down several traditional remedies through the generations, with some notable examples including Thien Dong extract for cough relief or Lac Tien extract for calming nerves and liver treatments. In the past, our ancestors would boil these into extracts and bottle them without labels or standardized quality certifications. As a result, I decided to build on my family’s strengths and bring these health-enhancing products to consumers. Machinery and technology were essential to my plan," Manh shared.

With this goal as motivation, Manh conducted independent research to develop a system of machines for processing, extracting, and bottling medicinal products. Due to a lack of experience, the equipment initially required constant adjustments. Consequently, frequent operational issues during the early stages increased input costs significantly.

Undeterred by challenges, Nguyen Van Manh gradually improved his system and invested over 1 billion VND to develop a comprehensive, modern production line tailored to his needs. To date, he has fully optimized the extraction, herbal concentrate production, and bottling processes.

The first product Nguyen Van Manh manufactured was Thien Dong extract, derived from ophiopogon roots and 38 other medicinal herbs. This remedy was originally developed by his great-grandfather. To date, Manh has successfully researched and produced seven products, including Thien Dong extract, Lac Tien calming extract, liver detox tea, and Yen Tu wild honey. Notably, all of his herbal products have received official recognition as OCOP-certified products frok Quang Ninh Province.

With the modern extraction system, Nguyen Van Manh is able to fully preserve the active compounds in the medicinal herbs, thereby enhancing product quality and maximizing their therapeutic properties.

“With this machinery, I can regulate temperatures in order to maintain and preserve the active compounds in each herb. It also reduces the need for manual labor and increases extraction efficiency. For instance, it previously required nine days to produce a batch of 300 herbal concentrate bottles. Currently, it only takes five days to produce up to 2,100 bottles,” Manh shared.

Manh's herbal products are currently available nationwide and can be found in many OCOP stores. During the COVID-19 pandemic, his products gained widespread popularity among consumers, including Thien Dong extract for cough relief and Lac Tien extract for insomnia treatment, with sales reaching several thousands of bottles each month.

In addition to researching and producing herbal products, Nguyen Van Manh has also collaborated with individual stakeholders and cooperatives to grow and purchase medicinal plants from local farmers, such as ca gai leo (Solanum procumbens), thien mon dong (Asparagus cochinchinensis), xa den (Celastrus hindsii), bach bo (Stemona tuberosa), diep ha chau (Phyllanthus urinaria), and lac tien vine (Passiflora foetida). This initiative has created additional employment opportunities for local and outside-of-province farmers.

For his efforts and contributions, Nguyen Van Manh was honored by the Central Committee of the Vietnam Farmers' Union as an "Outstanding Vietnamese Farmer" in 2024.

Hoang Kim Hoan, Chairwoman of the Uong Bi City Farmers’ Union, noted that Nguyen Van Manh is a highly dedicated and active member. Over the years, he has successfully developed numerous high-quality herbal products, which have received official recognition as exemplary agricultural products of Quang Ninh. Consequently, the province frequently promotes Manh's products with the aim of inspiring other regions.