Tu Youyou’s discovery of arteminsinin, and the right way to use it to treat malaria, was a breakthrough after repeated trial and error.

Inspired by a line from a medical prescription written almost 1,700 years ago, Tu Youyou discovered artemisinin in her 191st trial. It was the result of a blend between modern technology and traditional Chinese medicine.

CCTV’s Tang Shuxin filed this report on what Tu Youyou’s Nobel Prize could mean for traditional Chinese medicine.

More details:

• Artemisinin compounds have become the mainstay of malaria treatment over the past 15 years. Since 2000, more than one billion artemisinin-based treatment courses have been administered to malaria patients.
• It is a milestone for Chinese medical science and an acknowledgement to traditional Chinese medicine. Tu Youyou’s Nobel prize opens another door for traditional Chinese medicine into the global medical community.