Date:20/04/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/04/20/stories/2005042003760500.htm

Andhra Pradesh

New hope for cancer patients

B.V.S. Bhaskar

Tobacco research institute all set to get patent for the wonder drug

RAJAHMUNDRY: Here is good news for cancer patients. The statutory warning `tobacco products are injurious to health' can be read now as `tobacco products are beneficial to mankind' what with the Central Tobacco Research Institute (CTRI) here conducting researches on phytochemicals.

The CTRI is all set to get patent for its Solanesol phytochemical, starting material for synthesis of co-enzyme Q10 -- physiologically active substance with high pharmaceutical activity. Solanesol is useful for treating cancer, anaemia and other dreaded diseases.

Solansesol, once patented by the Patents and Designs Department of Government of India in next few weeks, will give dimension to the drugs and pharmaceutical researches. Solanesol can be used as main co-enzyme against cardiac insufficiency, muscular dystrophy and anaemia.

Recent scientific evidence suggests that nicotine and nicotine-like compounds may slow or ameliorate the symptoms of certain diseases like Tourette's syndrome, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, ulcerative colitis and attention deficit disorder (ADD).

The CTRI extracted Solanesol from tobacco waste and supplied to a few companies at the rate of Rs.200 per gram for research purpose.

However, it is estimated that cost of production (raw material) on industrial scale is expected to be around Rs.6,000 per kg. In the international market, it is said that the price of Solanesol (purity more than 95 per cent) is around $500.

Speaking to The Hindu, the Director of CTRI, K. Deo Singh, said that many companies approached them for Solanesol patent rights.

Extraction procedure

C.V. Narasimha Rao, principal scientist, CTRI, who had done extensive research, said Solanesol could be extracted from T1-1112 and T1-163 variety of tobacco and HD BRG, Abhirami varieties of Tamil Nadu.