Bhubaneswar: Sambalpur University has completed animal trials of a drug, prepared from extracts of plants and herbs, to treat diabetes, cancer and filariasis under a project funded by the Ayush ministry.
Pradeep Kumar Naik, professor of biotechnology and bioinformatics department of the university and principal investigator of the project said they have received positive results. “We are preparing for the next step,” Naik said.
“We have also tested the toxicity of the formulation, but we did not get any toxicity of the drug in animals. We have filed a patent for the product for use in treating filaria. We will file patents for the drug to be used in cancer and diabetes,” he added. Naik said they will do a standardisation of the formulation and other tests before sending it to Ayush ministry for patient trials. They have been working on this formulation since February.
The Centre of Excellence on natural products and therapeutics in the university has taken up this project. Bidhu Bhusan Mishra, vice-chancellor of Sambalpur University, said they held a convention of 400 traditional healers on Saturday and discussed issues related to ancient knowledge on medicinal plants. “We will conduct further study,” Mishra said.
