The Hindu Business Line : Call for collaborative research in medicinal use of natural products

Hyderabad, Nov 3 Research in medicinal applications of natural products is a team work and there is a need for greater collaboration between the nations in furthering the knowledge of natural products, according to Prof Geoffrey A. Cordell, Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, University of Illinois, Chicago. Speaking at the inaugural session of Asian symposium on medicinal plants, spices and other natural products at the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT) here on Monday, he said social dimensions of research in natural products such as benefits to human beings should be decided on the basis of the need of the world by social and research networking.

Dr A.V. Rama Rao, former Director of IICT, said there is a need for revival of interest in research pertaining to the natural products to strengthen drug discovery.

The availability of technology tools to understand various medicinal properties of national products would make the research easier and beneficial, he said. “Globally the drug discovery has been slowing down. Last year, only 27 new chemical entities were registered. The time has now come for looking at nature for medicinal applications,” he said.

Earlier, Dr J.S. Yadav, Director, IICT, and Prof Barry Noller, Chairman of the International Advisory Committee, said the three-day conference would discuss current and new research findings on new chemical entities sourced from terrestrial and marine plants besides stimulating studies on medicinal plants and interaction between chemistry and biology.

The conference is being attended by over 530 scientists from across 23 countries.

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