The department of Natural Products Development and Formulations is one of the three departments of the Institute of Traditional Medicine. It deals with research, teaching and consultancy in natural products from traditionally used material medica as well as formulation of research proven products to be used for improvement of health. The department has a unit called production unit which houses a GMP laboratory (Good Manufacturing Practice laboratory) used for production of herbal medicine. It also has a natural products research laboratory used for research work. The department has ten (8) staff including seven (7) academic and one technical staff.
The department is involved in teaching postgraduates students, preparation of crude extracts and other fractions for bioassays, bioassay guided separation of active substances of plants, mineral or animal origin used in traditional medicine. characterization and identification of biologically active substances, structure elucidation of biologically active isolated compounds formulation, standardization and laboratory scale production of herbal medicine, quality analysis of active ingredients of medicinal preparations from cultivated exotic plants and other formulations based on laboratory findings and information collected from traditional healers and dissemination of research findings to scientists, traditional healers and the general public, through publications, seminars and workshops.
1. Research
The department conducts research in the thematic areas prioritized by the University. The following are some of the ongoing research projects in the department, clustered to respective thematic areas
HIV and AIDS
Malaria
Health System Research
2. Training Programmes
The department of Natural Products Development and Formulation is involved in training of MSc and PhD progrmames in Traditional Medicine Development. The department jointly with other departments’ runs one master program (MSc. Traditional Medicine Development) teaching the course named Phytochemical Processes in Herbal Drugs Development (TM 603). The department is also involved in short course training programmes for Health Practitioners
3. Consultancy
The department offers consultancies in the following areas
INSTITUTE OF TRADITIONAL MEDICINE
P.O. Box 65001, Dar es Salaam,
E-mail: ditm@muhas.ac.tz
Direct Line: 21500096, 2150302-6 Ext 216, 2150302-6 Ext. 262