NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS FOR HEALTH

The sea and taiga are sources of not only food, but also medicine for Primorye residents. Vladivostok scientists are developing drugs and nutritional supplements with ingredients taken from the sea or forest. A number of Primorye nutritional supplements and other substances have been given various awards.

Specialists from the Pacific Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, part of the Far Eastern Division of the Russian Academy of Sciences, have created Gerbamarin, a nonalcoholic line of syrups for the prevention of cardiovascular disease, liver disease, diabetes, and also a general tonic.

Gerbamarin is recommended by the Nutrition Institute of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation as a nutritional supplement: a treasure from the deep sea and Ussuri wilds. There are other nutritional supplements from the Pacific Institute, including the Zolotoy Rog series, with Primorye honey, marine hydrobionts, and medicinal herbs; Fukolam made from algae; and Zosterin (also from sea grasses) which removes radionuclides from the body. The institute also has a number of medications: Maksar for the treatment of hepatitis and cirrhosis; the immune-stimulating Kumazid; and Histochrom made from sea urchin, with beneficial effects on the heart and eyes.

The Pacific Research Fisheries Center (under jurisdiction of the Russian Federal Fisheries Agency) is also involved in the creation of nutritional supplements and preventive substances. Products from this center include Laminal (a biogel made from seaweed for clinical nutrition), effective for gastrointestinal tract diseases. Maristim capsules, made from sea urchin eggs for cardiovascular system maintenance, and Tinrostim tablets and powder made from squid neural tissue for strengthening immunity.