Sri
Lanka Customs Friday prevented an attempt to illegally export an
indigenous herb used in the traditional Ayurveda treatment of diabetes.
The herb attempted to be smuggled abroad is Kothala Himbutu (Salacia
reticulata) is an indigenous plant that grows in dry zone forests in Sri
Lanka.
A Sri Lankan businessman has attempted
to smuggle 323 kilograms of Kothala Himbutu in 12 packages through a
courier service. The plants were bound for Japan. Japan has obtained a
number of patents for the medicinal drugs produced from Kothala Himbutu.
During a meeting with a Japanese
delegation comprising representatives from the cosmetics industry and
researchers Wednesday, Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa sought
assistance from the delegation to reacquire patent rights of Sri Lanka's
various native plants and herbs.
The Japanese delegation expects to
develop Ayurveda and beauty culture sectors and export Sri Lankan
products to other countries in the future. Plans to setup a new research
institute to conduct Ayurveda and beauty culture experiments were also
discussed at the meeting with the President.
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