MediHerb and Integria Healthcare have a strong commitment to excellence in natural healthcare research and make significant investments in research and development (R&D).
Over the years Integria Healthcare has supported more than 20 human clinical trials of our products, with the results published in peer-reviewed journals. Additionally, the company funds a range of other research, in particular phytochemistry and in vitro studies.
Led by Dr Hans Wohlmuth (PhD), Integria’s R&D team collaborates with researchers from around the world, including scientists from some of Australia’s leading universities and research organisations.
If you are a researcher looking to discuss your natural medicine research with us, please contact Dr Hans Wohlmuth by emailing research@integria.com.
The Science of Botanicals: MediHerb Research
For over 25 years MediHerb has been a pioneer, dedicated to the research and development of premium quality professional products. We are extremely fortunate to have an outstanding team of people in Research and Development and Quality Control: over 14 scientists including two chemistry PhDs, a biochemistry PhD, three herbalists, three chemists, two nutritionists and a pharmacist. Together the team has diverse industry experience in food and herbal products, university research, drug analysis in hospitals, pharmaceuticals, quality assurance, technical writing and clinical nutrition.
Based at our head office laboratories, the Research and Development team collaborates closely with the University of Queensland, Griffith University, Southern Cross University and University of New England in Australia.
The research team is led by MediHerb Co-Founder Professor Kerry Bone and Associate Professor Hans Wohlmuth and assisted by MediHerb’s technical writer, Michelle Morgan.
Professor Kerry Bone
B. Sc. (Chemistry) Honours, Dip. Phyt.
Kerry, as the co-founder of MediHerb and Director of Research and Development, is the innovation driver and quality guardian. Globally renowned for his herbal expertise both as a researcher and clinician, Kerry is adjunct Associate Professor at the New York Chiropractic College. A published author of six authoritative herbal text books used by naturopathic schools across the world, and thousands of referenced articles, Kerry is undoubtedly leading the herbal profession into the future.
Associate Professor Hans Wohlmuth
PhD (Pharmacognosy), BSc (Biology)
Hans joined the company early in 2014 as Research and Development Manager. He spent the previous 16 years at Southern Cross University, where he taught pharmacognosy and complementary medicine, established the Medicinal Plant Herbarium and co-founded the Herbal Authentication Service. Hans is an active researcher and has published some 50 scientific articles on medicinal plants, natural products and complementary medicine. Hans is a member of the Therapeutic Goods Administration's (TGA) Advisory Committee on Complementary Medicines, (TGA is Australia's equivalent to FDA (the Food and Drug Administration) and serves on the Advisory Board of the American Botanical Council. He also has editorial roles with several journals including the Australian Journal of Herbal Medicine and Advances in Integrative Medicine.
Associate Professor Reg Lehmann
B. App. Sc. (Chemistry), Ph.D. (Organic Chemistry), Grad. Dip. Management
Since 1996, Reg has been responsible for a variety of areas at MediHerb: Quality Assurance, Production, Technical and Research. His background includes the brewing industry, and since 1994 he has been working in the herbal field. In his present position, Reg is responsible for the group’s research activities such as clinical trial management, phytochemical research, and agronomic research. Reg is regarded as a leading phytochemist around the world and has been invited to present at numerous international scientific conferences. In recognition of the collaborative work undertaken with the University of Queensland, Reg has been recognised with the position of Adjunct Associate Professor within the School of Molecular and Microbial Sciences.
Michelle Morgan
B. Sc. (Chemistry), D.H.M.
Michelle has worked in the scientific field as a laboratory technician for many years and has spent over three years as a Quality Assurance Chemist. Since 1995 Michelle has worked at MediHerb as a Technical Writer responsible for information gathering and organising technical publications. She assisted in the research and writing of several herbal medicine text books including the award-winning The Essential Guide to Herbal Safety, published by Elsevier in 2005. Michelle is a qualified herbalist.
MediHerb Herbal Research Objectives
The research group at MediHerb is committed to the development of efficacious herbal therapies. This involves three major areas of focus, which are all interconnected:
- Formulation of efficacious herbal solutions to meet patients’ needs
- Validating the efficacy of herbal formulas by clinical trials and in vitro research
- Researching the phytochemistry of medicinal plants
It is by combining phytochemical, biochemical, clinical and traditional herbal knowledge that MediHerb can continue to produce high quality products, which meet the changing needs of the market.
The Research Laboratory is well equipped with gas chromatographs (GC), thin layer chromatography (TLC), ultra-violet-visible (UV-Vis) spectrophotometers, high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) and high performance liquid chromatographs (HPLC). The HPLCs are equipped with photo diode array (PDA), evaporative light scattering detectors (ELSD) and sophisticated mass spectrometer (MS) detectors. Access to nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and infra-red (IR) spectrometers, polarimeters, gas chromatographs with mass spectrometer detection and HPLC with MS/MS capabilities is available at The University of Queensland campus.
The Research and Development team works closely with herbalists and naturopaths within the company and with a board of leading Australian and international herbalists on product development. This ensures that MediHerb has taken the best of science, traditional knowledge and current clinical knowledge to make the most efficacious herbal solutions relevant to your clinical practice.
New Product Development Process
MediHerb has a rigorous new product development process, which ensures that the appropriate steps are undertaken when investigating the introduction of a new product. By reviewing all the relevant information available regarding the therapeutic outcome, we are seeking to develop a short list of key herbs which are then subjected to closer analysis.
This involves detailed examination of the:
- Clinical outcomes
- Phytochemistry/Biological activity
- Analytical methodology
- Continuity of supply
- Economic sustainability
- Synergy of the final formula
- Cost to the patient
- Practicality of final dose formulation
Once the prototype formulation is agreed upon, MediHerb may undertake a controlled human trial to prove the efficacy and safety of the product. This may either be a full clinical trial or may be an open trial in conjunction with our experienced clinicians (feedback trial). Products with well-documented evidence of traditional use are often subjected to the feedback trial. For more novel formulations that do not have significant traditional use, a full clinical trial evaluation may be performed.