Institute for Traditional Medicine

The Instituto de Medicina Tradicional (IMET), known in English as the Institute for Traditional Medicine, is a multidisciplinary research institute attached to EsSalud, Peru's social health insurance agency. It is based in Iquitos, in the Peruvian Amazon, and focuses on laboratory studies that precede clinical trials on the properties of plants used in Amazonian traditional medicine. The institute was created by Executive Presidency Resolution No. 097-IPSS-92 of the Instituto Peruano de Seguridad Social (IPSS), the predecessor of EsSalud, placing its founding in 1992. IMET operates a germplasm bank, a data bank, a specialized library, and a botanical garden with more than 500 plants. Its service portfolio spans agrobotanical studies of plant species, micro- and macro-morphological descriptions, pharmacological, toxicological, phytochemical, phytopathological and microbial studies of plants with medicinal properties, hematological, parasitological and biochemical controls of human and experimental animal blood, phase I clinical studies of therapeutic products, development of prototypes of therapeutic forms, pre-formulation and formulation studies, stability and shelf-life studies, and the production of lyophilized products from medicinal species with therapeutic properties. As a public research body, IMET does not sell products directly to consumers; its "offerings" are scientific services and research outputs that support the integration of traditional Amazonian medicine into Peru's public health system. It is part of EsSalud's network of specialized centers and collaborates with other public health institutions. The institute's work is relevant to Peru's rich biodiversity and to the validation of traditional knowledge, and it serves as a reference point for researchers, health professionals, and communities interested in medicinal plants of the Amazon. IMET's activities are funded through EsSalud and are oriented toward public health rather than commercial profit. Its Iquitos location gives it direct access to Amazonian plant resources and traditional healers' knowledge. The institute's botanical garden and germplasm bank are important tools for conservation and for ensuring a sustainable supply of plant material for study. Through its research, IMET contributes to the development of evidence-based phytotherapies and to the cultural valorization of traditional medicine in Peru.

The Instituto de Medicina Tradicional (IMET) was created by Executive Presidency Resolution No. 097-IPSS-92 of the Instituto Peruano de Seguridad Social (IPSS), the Peruvian social security institute that later became EsSalud. This resolution, issued in 1992, established the institute as a multidisciplinary research entity attached to the social health insurance system. Its mission was to conduct laboratory studies prior to clinical trials on the properties of plants used in Amazonian traditional medicine in Peru. IMET is headquartered in Iquitos, the largest city in the Peruvian Amazon, which provides direct access to the region's vast botanical diversity and to the traditional knowledge of its indigenous and mestizo populations. Over the years, the institute has developed infrastructure including a germplasm bank, a data bank, a specialized library, and a botanical garden with more than 500 plants. These facilities support its research programs and serve as a reference for the study and conservation of medicinal plants. The institute's service portfolio has expanded to cover a wide range of activities: agrobotanical studies of plant species; micro- and macro-morphological descriptions; pharmacological, toxicological, phytochemical, phytopathological and microbial studies of plants with medicinal properties; hematological, parasitological and biochemical controls of human and experimental animal blood; phase I clinical studies of therapeutic products; development of prototypes of therapeutic forms; pre-formulation and formulation, stability and shelf-life studies; and the production of lyophilized products from medicinal species with therapeutic properties. As part of EsSalud, IMET operates within Peru's public health system. It does not have a commercial retail presence; instead, it provides scientific services and generates knowledge that can inform public health policies and the development of phytotherapeutic products. Its work is aligned with broader efforts in Peru to integrate traditional medicine into primary health care and to validate traditional remedies through scientific methods. The institute also maintains links with other public health and research institutions, such as the Centro Nacional de Salud Intercultural (CENSI) of the National Institute of Health (INS), which shares similar objectives. IMET's history reflects Peru's ongoing interest in harnessing its biodiversity for health purposes and in recognizing the cultural importance of traditional medicine. The institute continues to function as a specialized center within EsSalud, contributing to research, conservation, and the documentation of Amazonian medicinal plants.

• 1992

  Created by Executive Presidency Resolution No. 097-IPSS-92 of the Instituto Peruano de Seguridad Social (IPSS).

Public research institute for the scientific validation of Amazonian traditional medicine, attached to Peru's social health insurance agency.

• Agrobotanical studies of plant species

  Research services on the agricultural and botanical aspects of medicinal plants.

• Pharmacological, toxicological, phytochemical, phytopathological and microbial studies

  Laboratory studies to assess the properties and safety of plants with medicinal properties.

• Phase I clinical studies

  Clinical studies of therapeutic products, typically the first stage of testing in humans.

• Lyophilized products from medicinal species

  Production of freeze-dried products from plants with therapeutic properties.

1. 1Instituto de Medicina Tradicional | EsSaludessalud.gob.pe
2. 2Instituto de Medicina Tradicional - Wikipedia, la enciclopedia librees.wikipedia.org
3. 3Institute for Traditional Medicine - Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4Chequeos EsSalud – Nosotros | EsSaludessalud.gob.pe