"This drug will be accepted by the West"

Why did the Indian Council of Medical Research (icmr) conduct research on vijaysara ( Pterocarpus marsupum )?
Allopathic physicians do not use traditional herbal medicines because they are not convinced of their efficacy. They will only be convinced if controlled trials are conducted. Secondly, vijaysara (see box) is an indigenous Indian plant and researchers at icmr wanted to see whether remedies mentioned in the ancient texts can be introduced to modern medicine or not.

What was unique about the preparation process of this drug?
Firstly, we standardised the preparation, which means every sample of the drug that we tested contained the same amount of active medicinal principle. This has never been done before. Secondly, we carried out clinical trials on carefully selected patients. Thirdly, we carried out these studies in a 'blind manner' which means that neither the patients nor the doctors knew that they were being given vijaysara and tolbutamide, which is the commonly used allopathic drug for treating diabetes. After the test we realised that all diabetes patients do not require the same amount of medication. Therefore, a 'double blind trial' with a flexible dose of vijaysara and tolbutamide was conducted. This is the kind of trial that will be accepted globally. It was indeed a great effort and it has taken us eight years to do it.

How is vijaysara better than the already available drugs?
The main reason for finding vijaysara more promising was that it had very few side effects.

Will it be accepted in the West as a medicine or as a health supplement?
Marketing it as a health supplement will be easy but we would like to introduce it as an allopathic medicine. Due to proper clinical and toxicological trials this drug will be accepted by the West. Acceptance can only be gained if standardisation is acheived; clinical trials are conducted and the results are recorded in the Indian Pharmacopeia, which lists all the medicines avaiable in the market. icmr is confident because the drug has gone through stringent tests, and meets all international specifications.

What will be the marketing strategy for the Indian market?
Our strategy is to first make the drug acceptable to the Drug Controller General of India as an allopathic drug, and not as a herbal drug that anyone can prepare and market without a check. We have to do this fast as we have come to know that a laboratory in Japan is importing 40 tonnes of vijaysara every month. They are sure to come up with a drug very soon. We have asked the government of India to declare vijaysara a plant of national importance, so that only we can make a drug from it.

What are the other drugs that you are working on and how soon will we see them in the market?
Another drug icmr is working on is derived from a a plant called kutki ( Piccorizha kurroa ), which will prove to be very effective for protecting the liver. The Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, has found and patented the active principle of the drug and it is almost ready to be handed over to the industry. Another plant we are working on is sihora (Streblus asper ) which seems to be effective against brugei filariasis, a mosquito borne disease. As of today, very few medicines exist for the treatment of this disease.

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