西部地区是我国重要的天然药物宝库,也是我国民族药业的主要集中地,西部开发政策促进了西部各省区将天然药物开发和中医药的发展列为该地区的主要发展方向。近几年西部地区诞生了一批以中药为主的大型企业,成为了天然药物开发的主力;西部地区在特色中药材的种植、人工培育与大规模种植工作取得了进展,中药材的规范化、标准化种植正逐步成为西部开发中的一个重要投资领域。文章在阐述了西部天然药物开发现状的同时,对其发展过程中存在的问题进行揭示,并提出了一些相应的建议。

The western region of China is a treasure of important natural medicinal r esources and also a principal region where medicines of the national minoritie s of the country are concentrated,a g reat potential to be exploited and ut ilized.The policy for development of this regio n has promoted all the provinces in th e region to take the development of natural medicinal resources and TCM as the ma in contents of their development pla n.In recent years a number of large en ter-prises with herbal drugs as their main products have emerged in this regio n,which are the mainstay for the development of natural medicinal resources.Their products have steadily occupied t he domestic market and begun to march on to international market.Progress has particularly been made in the cultiv ation,artificial breeding and even large -scale plantation of Chinese medicinal cro ps with special features.The standardization and normalization in the p lantation has become major areas of investment.This article maintains that much atten tion should be paid to the input of technology in the process of development,i.e.besides speeding up the building of GAP b ases of medicinal materials,modern biotechnology should be introduced,the study of bio -engineering in herbal drugs be stepped up,and artificial breeding and the selection of varieties be well done.In addition,a mechanisms of winning over talented perso nnel should be established,the building of the e nterprises with joint -stock system and the capital operation of existin g listed companies be strengthened,and full attention be given to the protection of environment and resources in the p rocess of development.