History of the Nippon Shinyaku Institute for Botanical Research

Abstract

Soon after its foundation in 1919, Nippon Shinyaku Co., Ltd began to develop the domestic production of Santonin, an anthelmintic agent, which, until then, had been totally imported from Russia. In 1927, Artemisia maritima ssp. monogyna was introduced from Europe and confirmed to contain Santonin. This European aster plant was named Mibu-yomogi after the place name of the headquarters of Nippon Shinyaku. In 1934, Yamashina Experimental Farm was founded to breed Mibu-yomogi cultivars of high quality as a plant material for Santonin production in Japan. In 1953, the Experimental Farm was reorganized into the Institute for Botanical Research for the continuous breeding of Santonin-containing aster plants and for the development of any new medicines from medicinal plants. Through the breeding of Santonin-containing aster plants, many cultivars including Yamashina No. 2 from Mibu-yomogi, Pentayomogi and Hexa-yomogi which were crosssed with Mibu-yomogi and A. kurramensis, were bred. Furthermore, we still have four ethical drug products originated from medicinal plants. Since 1994, the Institute has become a botanical garden in order to maintain, develop and exhibit the plant collection and for the cultivation studies of rare plants. © 2011 The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan.