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Plant molecule to fight filarial worms isolated

By Rajesh Nair

PONDICHERRY, JAN. 11. A six-member team from the Vector Control Research Centre (VCRC) here has isolated a molecule from a plant, which has the potency to fight adult filarial worms that cause lymphatic filariasis and transmit the disease through vector mosquitoes to more individuals.

"The extracts from the plant proved to be a potent macrofilaricide when tested on filarial parasite in cattle. The VCRC has entered into a memorandum of understanding with the Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, for clinical trials, which will soon begin," said Dr. K. Balaraman, Deputy Director, VCRC.

The VCRC got the process patent and would soon apply for product patent soon.

Lack of potent drug

At present, there was no drug to control adult filarial worms. The most widely prescribed drug in treatment of lymphatic filariasis was diethylcarbamazine, which was active against microfilariae in interrupting the transmission of the disease, but less effective against adult worms.

The adult worms might survive for several years in the infected person and would produce microfilariae, leading to transmission of the disease through vector mosquitoes.

Nisha Mathew, principal investigator, funded by the International Foundation for Science, said the potent molecule was extracted from plumbago indica/rosea (from the family of Plumbaginaceae), a perennial shrub found in south India. The plant was characterised by a reddish petiole and bright red flowers.

Lymphatic filariasis, commonly known as elephantiasis, was caused by nematodes in the blood or tissue, causing blockage of lymphatic vessels. The disease was caused by parasitic worms including onchocerca volvulus, wuchereria bancrofti, brugia malayi and brugia timori.

P.K. Das, Director, VCRC, said the infectionwas physically and economically devastating. In India, about 45 per cent of its population lived in known filariasis-endemic areas and 48 million people were infected with the disease. This accounted for 40 per cent of global lymphatic filariasis patients.

The VCRC had been designated as a WHO-collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Lymphatic Filariasis and Integrated Method of Vector Control.

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