Human Placental Extract Products - Part I

By Swapan Das, Calcutta

The internet is floated with the information & advertisements on human placental extract products (HPE). And the products range from the prescribed drugs domain to cosmetic domain. We have come across that human placental based drugs are readily approved in the oriental countries like Japan, South Korea. The Human Placental Extract has been in use in Japan for decades. The Japan's National Health Insurance covers placental treatments for liver disease and symptoms of menopause. The HPE products manufactured in Japan are approved by the Govt. of Japan which follows stringent safety measures as per the Japanese Pharmacopoeia (JP) which is equivalent to the safety measures taken in US and western countries. It’s been noticed that human placental extract therapy is an accepted therapy in Oriental, South East Asian countries whereas with harmonization of EU (European Union ) laws and regulations (follows US  FDA rules  FOR BIOLOGICALS), its use is

restricted in major western countries who are under EU. India too have many decades old indigenous aqueous human placental extract product (brand “Placentrex”) as prescribed drug and said to be very effective drug. But Human Placental Extract and its formulations for human use have been banned in India from Feb.10, 2011 mainly for safety concerns which could be debatable. It could be a debatable issue when HPE products are available in other Asian countries; it will be no more available in India in spite of India’s long manufacturing and scientific research history on HPE as drug. 

Please note that our site doesn't endorses any products or brand names that are mentioned or pictured in this article. This post is for the purpose of supplying information to the public with respect to the commercial products of human placental extract with a focus on the "DRUGS DOMAIN". The following list doesn't claims to be "complete or updated". 

UPDATE: PLACENTREX is back in India vide the Gazette Notification No. G.S.R 418(E) dated May 30, 2011 - the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. USE OF PLACENTREX CONTINUES! Check here

List of Human Placental Extract Based Prescribed Drugs:

• LAENNEC – Japan Bio Products Co., Japan
• MELSMON - Melsmon Pharmaceutical Co.Ltd, Japan
• PLACENTREX - Albert David Ltd., India
• MELAGENINA PLUS - Centro de Histoterapia, Havana, Cuba

A Few Other Products:

For details of a few other commercial products which are not necessary prescribed drugs and may cater to "cosmetic domain", click here >>Human Placental Extract Products - Part II


Did You Know?
The Japanese Govt. approves Human Placental Extract based injections like “Melsmon” for menopausal disorders and failed lactation, and “Laennec” for liver disorders. LAENNEC is said to be a government subsidized drug for Japanese patients seeking treatment for Hepatitis and liver cirrhosis, while Melsmon claims the Japanese Government actually pays for suitable Japanese citizens to use Melsmon. To know more go through the above list of prescribed drugs by clicking them.