An exhibition on medicine of China's ethnic minority cultures will be held in Beijing on September 2-6, the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine announced on Tuesday.

Some 100 pharmaceutical companies specializing in the ethnic medicine of over 20 minority groups are expected to participate in the exhibition.

According to Xu Zhiren, an official with the administration, there are 195 hospitals using unique medical treatments developed by 15 minority groups such as Tibetan, Mongolian and Uygur. The country has 14 schools which teach ethnic medicine.

There are 156 pharmaceutical companies making ethnic medicine in China, compared with less than ten in 1995. In 2005, the turnover of the ethnic pharmaceutical industry reached 5.3 billion yuan (about US$403 million), according to official figures.

Tibetan medicine has marked curative effects in treating altitude sickness, digestive problems and rheumatic disease, while Mongolian medicine is good at curing diabetes and blood disease.

(Xinhua News Agency August 22, 2007)