The Hindu : National : CSIR drug trial's first phase `successful'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Dec 20, 2004

National

National

CSIR drug trial's first phase `successful'

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, DEC. 19. The efforts of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to find cures for different diseases through the combined use of traditional knowledge and modern science have been progressing successfully, the CSIR Director-General, R.A. Mashelkar, said today.

"At present, the first phase of our trial for psoriasis (a skin disease) was completed successfully last month. Under this phase, clues were taken from the traditional medicine and the trial involving the newly-developed drug and therapy was carried out on healthy volunteers. In the next phase, a limited number of patients will be covered. And, in the final phase, it will be put to use on a larger scale," Dr. Mashelkar told reporters after attending a function to mark the golden jubilee of the Chennai-based M.V. Hospital for Diabetes. He said requisite clearances from the agencies concerned had been obtained and that it would take about two years to complete the three phases.

Diseases covered

He said the diseases covered under the CSIR's project included cancer, diabetes and nervous disorders, besides Alzheimer's disease.

Dr. Mashelkar said his organisation was particular in utilising knowledge from traditional medical systems — which had not been scientifically validated — so that people, particularly the poor, were benefited.

The CSIR was engaged in creating a "traditional knowledge digital library" in which reference materials of Ayurveda had been incorporated.

"We have decided to include materials of the Siddha and Unani systems," he said, adding that the materials on traditional medicines would be available in six international languages, including English, Spanish, German and Arabic.

Asked whether traditional medical practitioners and experts were receptive to sharing their knowledge and making it widely available, he said the former had been convinced of the benefits that would accrue to the public. "Now, our focus is on getting knowledge from the literature that is available. Subsequently, we will persuade them to share with us the practices employed by them," he said.

The "most significant aspect" of the efforts, Dr. Mashelkar said, was that the CSIR would codify what was available in the traditional medical systems of the country, which would bring about changes in international patent classification.

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