The Research Institute of Phytotherapy at Uzhhorod National University was established in accordance with the decision of the University Academic Council (Protocol No. 3 dated March 27, 1992) and the Order of the Ministry of Higher Education of Ukraine (Order No. 65 dated March 31, 1992). The Institute was founded on the basis of the «Problem Research Laboratory for Phytoprophylaxis of Precancerous Gastrointestinal Diseases», which operated under the Department of Propaedeutics of Internal Medicine at the Faculty of Medicine of UzhNU. The initiator and long-time Director of the Institute was Dr. Oksana Hanych, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor, and then Head of the Department of Propaedeutics of Internal Medicine at UzhNU.

Founder and Director of the Institute (1992–2020), Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor Oksana Hanych

From 2020 to 2024, the position of Acting Director of the Institute was held by Professor Taras Hanych, who continued the Institute’s scientific research and upheld its established traditions.

Acting Director of the Institute (2020–2024), Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor Taras Hanych

In December 2024, in accordance with the order of the Rector of the State Higher Educational Institution «Uzhhorod National University» the Research Institute of Phytotherapy was renamed the Research Institute of Phytotherapy and Non-Traditional Methods of Treatment named after Professor Oksana Hanych (hereinafter referred to as the Oksana Hanych Research Institute of Phytotherapy and Non-Traditional Medicine).

By Order No. 321/06-03 dated May 16, 2024, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor, and Head of the Department of Propaedeutics of Internal Medicine at Uzhhorod National University, Yelyzaveta Sirchak, was appointed Director of the Institute.

The first staff members of the Research Institute of Phytotherapy deserve sincere recognition and deep gratitude for their contributions, including Senior Research Fellow V. Zheltvai, M. Semyrot; Senior Research Fellow Professor S. Fodor; Associate Professor N. Misevra; and Associate Professor T.Fedorovych.

A great deal of effort and dedicated work was contributed by the Institute’s research staff, including S. Skakandi and Ye. Pavlyk, as well as Senior Research Fellow and Professor M. Fatula; Professor T. Hanych; Professor B. Buletsa; Professor O. Horlenko; Professor I. Hryha; Professor M. Korshynska; Associate Professor M. Chavarga; and research associates K. Zayats, V. Koval, L. Kotsiubniak, N. Brych, O. Kanyuk, V. Kanyuk, H. Kost, P. Lupych, M. Lavriv, A. Palko, Z. Pidi, O. Sydor, I. Feketa, N. Markus, O. Tsymbota, and R. Shkumbatyuk

Until today, this is the only scientific institution of this profile in Ukraine. The establishment of the institute was driven by the implementation of state scientific and technical programs: «Ukrainian State Program for the Elimination of the Consequences of the Chernobyl Disaster», «Creation, Study, and Implementation in Healthcare Practice of New Highly Effective Medicinal Products», «New Physico-Technical Methods for Diagnosis and Correction of Functional Disorders of the Organism at the Cellular and Subcellular Levels», and «Research on the Pathophysiology of Radiation Injury to the Gastrointestinal Tract and Development of Preventive and Therapeutic Anti-Radiation Agents».

During its existence, the Research Institute of Phytotherapy has comprehensively studied and tested for use in therapeutic and preventive practice over 100 environmentally safe medicinal plants from the Transcarpathian region. These include medicinal plants that affect the nervous system (stimulating, calming, antispasmodic), the cardiovascular system (cardiac glycosides with hypotensive, antiarrhythmic, and anti-sclerotic effects), as well as plants with diuretic, anti-edematous, anti-radiation, laxative, hemostatic, anti-inflammatory, anti-ulcer, antimicrobial, antiparasitic, anthelmintic, hypoazotemic, and anti-radiation properties, and plants that act as biostimulators.

Eight research projects have been carried out using state budget funding, and fourteen projects have been conducted under commercial contracts. 

Over more than 30 years of diligent, creative, and coordinated work, the team of the Research Institute of Phytotherapy has developed and implemented various phytomedicines into practice, including:

• «Karpatsky» – a detoxifying herbal tea;
• «Kratefit» – an anti-sclerotic, hypotensive, cardiostatic, and immunostabilizing herbal tea;
• «Echinofit» tincture – an immunostimulant for the prevention of diseases caused by low doses of radiation exposure;
• «Echinofit» herbal tea – an immunostimulant for the prevention of diseases caused by low doses of radiation exposure;
• «Dandelion root powder» – for improving liver and gallbladder function;
• «Fitodraje» – enterosorbent;
• «Fitohrust» – enterosorbent;
• «Fitomed» – for improving the function of the digestive organs;
• «Fitosorb» – a sorbent for improving intestinal function;
• «Tseofitosorb» – a sorbent for improving intestinal function;
• The «Bebivita» series of herbal teas, launched into mass production by the company “HIPP-Uzhhorod” and highly rated in Ukraine:
• children's herbal tea for prevention of respiratory diseases;
• children's herbal tea for stomach health;
• children's general tonic herbal tea;
• children's herbal tea for improving digestion;
• children's cumin herbal tea;
• children's cumin herbal tea;
• herbal tea to increase lactation;
• herbal tea for prevention of gestosis in the first half of pregnancy;
• herbal tea for prevention of gestosis in the second half of pregnancy;
• herbal tea for prevention of vitamin deficiencies in children.
• «Bebivita» series phytobaths (produced by «HIPP-Uzhhorod»):
•  herbal bath for babies from a herd;
• herbal bath for babies with lovage;
• herbal bath for babies with calendula and nettle;
• non-alcoholic herbal drink with anti-stress properties;
• a series of herbal compositions based on iodine-enriched table water «Iodis»:
• «Iodis-calendula» to maintain women's health;
• «Iodis-phytometabol» for the prevention of combined pathology of internal organs.
• «Iodis-taraxatsin» for the prevention of atherosclerosis and disorders of the hepatobiliary sphere.

Scientific monographs and educational manuals authored by the Institute's researchers have gained popularity among the medical community and the general public:

• «Phytotherapy» (1993),
• «Radiation. Health. Radioprotection» (1996, 2011),
• «Your Health Is in Your Hands» (2000),
• «Ecology, Natural Nutrition, Health» (2002),
• «Practical Dietetics» (2004, 2009),
• «Clinical Phytotherapy» (2008),
• «Recommendations for Maintaining Health» (2009),
• «Alcohol and Smoking – In the Shackles of Slavery» (2009),
• «Iodine – The Stimulus of Life. Iodine Deficiency» (2010),
• «Fasting-Dietary Therapy in the Complex of Human Health Improvement» (2011).

 Phytoproducts Developed by the Research Institute of Phytotherapy, Uzhhorod National University

Effective treatment methods and rational recipes for phytoproducts developed by the Research Institute of Phytotherapy have been successfully clinically tested and widely implemented in the practice of medical institutions of Transcarpathia, Uzhhorod, in particular the Uzhhorod Central City Clinical Hospital, sanatoriums and sanatorium-preventive centers of Transcarpathia, territorial medical associations of Ukraine and abroad.

Significant scientific achievements and extensive experience in the rehabilitation of victims of the Chernobyl tragedy made it possible to develop a concept for the rehabilitation of the population of Ukraine, which is based on the use of herbal medicines and phytoproducts with immunocorrective, oncoprotective and antisclerotic effects and was approved by the Academic Council of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine and the medical community of Ukraine.

A program for the rehabilitation of the population of Transcarpathia, which suffered an unprecedented natural disaster (floods of 1998, 2001), was developed and successfully implemented in practice.

The scientific work of the Research Institute of Phytotherapy was aimed at the prevention of iodine deficiency diseases in the endemic goiter region of Transcarpathia. Large-scale prevention was carried out among schoolchildren, pregnant women and nursing mothers. Preventive measures were carried out using iodine-containing products of domestic production: iodized cikorlact, «Iodis-concentrate», «Lamidan», «Barba-iod», «Modifilam-Laminarin», etc. Studies conducted at the Institute confirmed in practice the feasibility of using iodine-containing products to preserve the health of the population. The generalizations of scientific research are covered in the Methodological Recommendations approved by the Ministry of Health and the Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine – «Application of a natural multifunctional therapeutic and prophylactic product from marine kelp algae in medical practice» (Kyiv, 2010).

The achievements of the Research Institute of Phytotherapy were included in two innovative projects of the Uzhgorod National University science park, approved at the session of the Transcarpathian Regional Council: «Rational prevention of iodine deficiency in schoolchildren of Transcarpathia» and «Implementation of methods for the prevention of endoecological diseases in conditions of floods and disasters» (2010-2012).

The results of the scientific achievements of the Research Institute of Phytotherapy are covered in the materials of international and all-Ukrainian scientific conferences, presented at republican annual exhibitions, in candidate and doctoral theses, and are protected by copyright and patents. Scientists of the Research Institute of Phytotherapy have written more than 400 publications, received 15 patents for inventions and utility models. Based on the materials of the Institute's research work, 2 doctoral and 10 candidate theses have been defended.

The Research Institute of Phytotherapy has established cooperation with the departments of propaedeutics of internal diseases, faculty therapy of the medical faculty, maternity and childhood care of the faculty of postgraduate education, departments of chemistry, physics and biology of the UzhNU; the Department of Pharmacology of the National Medical University named after Bogomolets (Kyiv); Kyiv National University of Trade and Economics, Institute of Physics of the NAS of Ukraine (Kyiv), Institute of Human Ecology (Kyiv), State Institution «Scientific Center of Radiation Medicine of the NAMS of Ukraine» (Kyiv), Department of Natural Medicine of the Kosice University named after Shafarika (Košice, Slovakia), Slovak Agrarian University and Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (Nitra, Slovakia), the companies «Agrokarpaty» (Slovakia), «HIPP-Uzhhorod GmbH», «Jodis» (Kyiv), which produce the institute's products, «Lamidan» (Odessa), «Green Pantry of Health» (Dnipropetrovsk), as well as the sanatorium «Kvitka Polonyny» (Transcarpathia).

In close cooperation with the network «Zakarpatkurort» on the basis of the sanatorium «Karpaty» the first All-Ukrainian gastroenterological school-seminar was held (1993), on the basis of the sanatorium «Polyana» - the international scientific and practical conference «Health-improving natural nutrition, unloading diet therapy» (2000). Since the middle of the last decade, international interdisciplinary scientific and practical conferences dedicated to topical issues of the theory and practice of health care, phytoprophylaxis and phytotherapy, non-traditional treatment methods, modern technologies for growing and harvesting medicinal plants, development and testing of new effective herbal formulations for children and adults, and iodine prevention of endemic pathologies have gained wide popularity and good response.

 Presidium of the 2007 Conference Plenary Session, dedicated to the 15th anniversary of the founding of the Research Institute of Phytotherapy, Uzhhorod National University: Prof. I. Studeniak, Academician H. Rudavska, Prof. O. Hanych.

  Covers of the Proceedings of the International Conferences in 2014 and 2015

For over 15 years, high-level international interdisciplinary scientific-practical conferences have been held at the «Kvytka Polonyny» sanatorium (Chief Physician – Honored Doctor of Ukraine P. Hanynets). Notable conferences included: «Current Theoretical and Clinical Aspects of Phytotherapy» (2007), «Environment and Human Health” (2008), “Biogeochemical Aspects of Human Health Preservation» (2010), «Exo- and Endoecological Aspects of Human Health» (dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the Chornobyl tragedy, 2011), «Phytoapitherapy: Past and Future» (2013), «Water and Human Health» (2013) Starting in 2014, these annual events have been held under the unified title: «Modern Aspects of Human Health Preservation» (2014–2021). Conference proceedings were regularly published before each event (in 2000, 2007, 2008, and from 2010 to 2021). In recent years, the conferences have been conducted in an online format.

The Institute's Team (archival photo)