Prelims: Current events of national and international relations | Science and Technology
Why in news?
Recently CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT) develops plant-based drug candidate for diabetic foot ulcers.
- Research supported under – ‘CSIR Phytopharmaceutical Mission Phase III’.
- The phytopharmaceutical derived from the medicinal plant Gymnema sylvestre.
- It lower inflammation, fight resistant bacteria, and speed up tissue repair.
A phytopharmaceutical drug is a purified and standardized fraction of a medicinal plant extract containing a minimum of four bioactive compounds.
- The research has secured patent protection in India as well as in international jurisdictions
- It provides a comprehensive Investigational New Drug (IND)-ready data package for the standardised botanical therapeutic.
- Significance – The research highlights the strength of India’s scientific capabilities and evidence-based botanical drug discovery.
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CSIR Phytopharmaceutical Mission Phase-III
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- Period – 2024–2027
- It translates scientifically validated plant-based leads into modern, clinically useful therapeutic drugs.
- Coordinated by – CSIR-IIIM and labs like CSIR-IIC.
- Focuses on – Creating IND-ready data packages, captive medicinal plant cultivation, and industry tech transfers.
- Core goals –
- Develop phytopharmaceuticals for unmet medical needs through pre-clinical and clinical trials.
- Scale up medicinal plant cultivation and quality planting material production for a reliable raw-drug supply.
- Link farmers with industry to reduce import dependence and boost global market competitiveness.
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Reference
The Hindu| Plant-Based Drug for Diabetic Foot Ulcers