site.btaUPDATED Every Single Bulgarian Home Has Used Medicines Created by Institute Founded by Father of Bulgarian Pharmacy - Lyubomir Zhelyazkov

The medicines, created decades ago at the Bulgarian Scientific Research Institute of Chemistry and Pharmaceutics, have perhaps been used in every single Bulgarian home. The Institute, founded in 1947 by the "father" of Bulgarian pharmacy Acad. Lyubomir Zhelyazkov (1918-1993), developed medicines such as prenylamine, furanthril, pyramem and emovit, tempalgin, tribestane and many others, the Bulgarian National Patent Office told BTA.

Acad. Zhelyazkov was listed in the Golden Book of the Patent Office of Bulgaria on May 21, 1985.whichfounded 

His name is associated with more than 80 author's certificates for inventions, dozens of developments in the field of chemotherapeutic agents - sulfonamides, antitubercular medications, nitrofurans. On this basis, world-famous Bulgarian medicines such as "Rimiphone", "Etoxide", "Nitrofen" were created. An original contribution by Zhelyazkov to the field are the widely used in the medical practice spasmolytic "Benzylamine", tranquilizers - "Tempidone", "Lenotil", "Methaqualone", and central nervous system stimulator "Adapen". The dozens of technologies developed by him, especially the methods of production of "Prenylamine", "Codeine", "Tempidone", "Spasmocalm”, and the diuretic "Furanthril", are recognized worldwide.

In 2018, the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences celebrated the 100th anniversary of the birth of the eminent chemist, teacher, encyclopaedist, and patriot Acad. Lyubomir Zhelyazkov, his daughter Antonina Zhelyazkova - historian and anthropologist, told BTA.

The exposition has become reality thanks to her, who years ago donated her father's entire archive to the Scientific Archives of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, where the valuable documents have been digitized. The archive is accompanied by a special clause that prevents access to his personal correspondence for 20 years. The display, dedicated to Acad. Zhelyazkov, reveals his educational and creative path. 

In 20 years, Acad. Zhelyazkov managed to successfully develop the Bulgarian chemical-pharmaceutical industry and bring huge revenues to Bulgaria from the export of medicines from a small laboratory in the once-named Galenus tablet factory. The giants of pharmaceutical sciences at the time - the USSR, Switzerland, Germany, France, Italy, Canada, and Japan, treated the Bulgarian scientist with great respect and persistently invited him to international scientific symposia and conferences abroad, with Bulgarian specialists exchanging experience with their Western colleagues and with colleagues from socialist countries. 

Acad. Zhelyazkov believes that there is no pharmaceutical product that could not be synthesized in Bulgaria by native specialists.

The article was prepared under a partnership initiative between BTA and the National Patent Office.