Biotechayur : A New Initiative

A Biotech Company of Orissa
http://www.biotechayur.com/

Biotechayur or Ayurbiotech is going to have it's operation of extracting organically grown medicinal plants in Khantapara, Balasore within next 6 month. The construction of Biotechayur or Ayurbiotech at Ayurnagar Park is almost completed, which Dr.Abhay K. Pati initiated 4 yrs back.

He is the only Oriya NRI who is willing to invest a large amount and promote plant based biotechnology in the State of Orissa.

Dr.Pati is an Ayuvedic Medical graduate, who is putting together a manufacturing plant of extratio unit of medicinal plants and a research lab in Balasore, Orissa

Dr.Pati says so many medicinal plants are there in Orissa India. Today Morphine a derivative form Opium, Digitalis from Hrutapatri and Macuna a source of dopamine from Baidhuka were recorded in Ayurveda for centuries.

Dr.Pati begs to alll scholars in the field of medicinal pants and Biotechnology to visit his site: for information, pls viisit our site for further information

Pls visit http://www.biotechayur.com/

Dr. Abhay Kumar Pati was born in Raj-Nilgiri, Balasore District, Orissa, India. Dr. Pati was trained as a Physician in Calcutta at J.B. Ray State Ayurvedic Medical College & Hospital [Asthanga Ayurvedic College, which is one of the oldest Ayurvedic institutions in India, under Calcutta University. Dr. Pati came to U.S.A. almost 30 years (3 decades) ago on a fellowship. He was the publisher of an International Health Magazine called Health World. Dr. Pati is an autthor of several health books including, Vitamins and Herbal Digest, a 360 page book, which has been printed more than 7 times and sold over 800,000 copies in the world’s market. In this digest, readers can find nutritional, Ayurvedic, Chinese, Native American, South American herbal supplements and much, much more. For the last 10 years, Dr. Pati has been manufacturing nutritional and herbal supplements. His company name is Best Nutrition Products Inc. The corporation has over 30 websites.

Dr. Pati has formulated more than 100 nutritional supplements, which are being marketed in U.S. as well as being exported to more than 30 plus countries. Products are available in pharmacies and health food stores. Products are also sold on Ecommerce on the Internet. Dr. Pati also has designed a special hormone called Melatonin for travelers who frequently fly long distance over 10 hours to 17 hours on a non-stop airplane across the Pacific or Atlantic route. His Melatonin is being sold in many Duty Free stores.

INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK AND NETWORKING

The research institutes and universities engaged in biological sciences in Orissa include the Institute of life Sciences at Bhubaneswar; the Regional Medical Research Centre of the Indian Council of Medical Research at Bhubaneswar; Regional Plant Resource Centre, Bhubaneswar; Central Rice Research Institute of ICAR at Cuttack; Central Institute for Fresh water Aquaculture and Central Tuber Crop Research Institute of ICAR at Bhubaneswar; Regional Research Laboratory of CSIR at Bhubaneswar; Orissa State Pollution Control Board,
Bhubaneswar; Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhubaneswar; Utkal University, Bhubaneswar; Berhampur University, Berhampur; Sambalpur University, Burla; S.C.B. Medical College, Cuttack; M.K.C.G. Medical College, Berhampur; V.S.S. Medical College, Burla and a few other organizations. These institutions are carrying out biological research in various areas like molecular biology and genetic engineering, molecular biotechnology of cancer, vector borne diseases (malaria, filariasis and dengue etc.), molecular epidemiology of infectious diseases, genetic disorders, stress biology, ecophysiology and productivity, plant molecular biology, plant biotechnology, tissue culture and plant genetics, plant tissue culture, biochemistry, fish biotechnology, fish health and nutrition, rice genetics and rice breeding, rice biotechnology, biofertilizer and microbial technology, photosynthesis and plant genetic engineering, human genetics, forest ecology, photobiology, environmental biology, cytotoxicology and genotoxicology, algal biotechnology, microbial biotechnology, allelopathy, marine chemistry and coastal pollution, marine biology, animal health, microbial bioleaching technology and mineral biology etc.

The available expertise and facilities in the above areas will be fully utilized. In addition, the networking shall also include National institutions such as the following:
¨ National Centre for Cell Sciences, Pune
¨ National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi
¨ National Institute of Virology, Pune
¨ Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi
¨ Tuberculosis Research Centre, Chennai
¨ National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases, Calcutta
¨ Bose Institute, Calcutta
¨ Zoological Survey of India, Calcutta
¨ Botanical Survey of India, Calcutta
¨ Forest Survey of India, Dehradun
¨ Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow
¨ World Health Organisation etc.

The Department of Biotechnology, Government of India has taken over the Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar to develop it into a Centre for Excellence in Biotechnology on August 2, 2002. This Institute will be the nodal institute in the State for biotechnology. A core scientific group in the Science and Technology Department of Government of Orissa will be set up to oversee the implementation of various programmes relating to biotechnology.

BIOTECHNOLOGICAL INDUSTRIES

Considering the enormity of bio-resources in the State and its rich biodiversity, the potential for industrial development is significant in the following areas:
i) Tissue culture
ii) Herbal products
iii) Biofertilizers and biopesticides
iv) Aqua-culture (fresh water and brackish)
A Biotechnology Park will be established at a suitable location. Incubator and pilot level facilities will be built in the park. The existing research facilities in the State may be net worked. The Government of Orissa may provide upto 10 acres of land for the Biotechnology Park.

HUMAN RESESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

Biotechnology is a frontier area of modern biology, which has the potential to provide substantial benefits to society in such sectors as agriculture, healthcare, forestry, process industry and environmental protection. Commercialization of biotechnology requires financial resources, infrastructure for basic and applied research and the necessary qualified manpower.

Orissa, being a poor State, must utilize the rapid advances being made in biotechnology with optimum use of financial resources and should evolve its own strategy for reaping benefits by utilizing her rich bio-diversity. Training in biotechnology forms an essential part of this strategy, and qualified scientific and technical manpower can play a critical role in developing innovative solutions relevant to local needs and problems.

For development of qualified and trained man power, the following steps are proposed:
i) M.Sc. Biotechnology Programme:
Though the School of Life Sciences at Sambalpur University has been teaching full length papers on genetic engineering and biotechnology in M.Sc. (Life Sciences) since 1989, biotechnology at the M.Sc. level is not taught at any of the Universities/ Colleges of Orissa. Master’s level courses in biotechnology need to be started in different Universities / Institutions of Orissa, as students with this qualification can play a major role in biotechnology-based industries and can be engaged in developing know-how for such industries. It has been decided to start M.Sc. Biotechnology programmes with support from the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India at Utkal University and at the Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology at Bhubaneswar. The Ravenshaw College, Cuttack has also started a M.Sc. Biotechnology course (self financing scheme) from December 2001.
ii) Infrastructure for research:
Universities may be offered special one-time grants for setting up infrastructure for R&D in different areas of biotechnology.
iii) Diploma Course in Medical Biotechnology:
One such course is running at Utkal University and this may be further strengthened with additional grants from the Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India.
iv) Course for Laboratory Technicians:
Research in biotechnology and biotechnology-based industries requires highly skilled manpower for laboratory experiments. One year Laboratory Technician courses for B.Sc. Graduates may be opened in selected Universities/ Institutions.

DISASTER MANAGEMENT WITH BIOTECHNOLOGICAL INTERVENTION

Biotechnological intervention has a major role in evolving disaster management strategies, especially in the rehabilitation of the victim.

The following measures will help enhance preparedness:

A massive tree plantation programme in wastelands through tissue culture

Proper selection of tree species

Establishment of a good disease surveillance system

Ensuring availability of diagnostic facilities

The following employment generating activities on a decentralized basis will be helpful in rehabilitation of victims:
Vermicomposting
Tissue culture based plantation activities
Production units for nutritionally rich food
Animal feed and animal health care
Availability of diagnostic tools
Training for the victims in various income generating activities
Establishing small industrial units

MEDICAL RESEARCH AND APPLICATION

Applications of biotechnology have been rapidly revolutionizing the practice of medicine in recent years. Important areas of application include new, simple and accurate diagnostic tools particularly for infectious diseases, genetic analysis for disease susceptibility, development of new drugs including vaccines, targeted drug delivery, molecular finger printing for investigating epidemics and many others.

Malaria, filariasis, cancer, tuberculosis and under-nutrition pose a major burden of disease in the State as also in many other parts of the country. Further, Orissa is prone to several natural disasters including cyclones, floods and draughts which promote out-break of several epidemics. Considering these facts, there is scope for application of biotechnology tools in the alleviation of human suffering.

Malaria:

With 3.8% of India's population, Orissa accounts for 15 -20 % of total malaria cases, 35-40% of Plasmodium falciparum infection and more than 50% malaria deaths of the country. There are as many as 25 anopheline species encountered in the State including four known vectors of malaria. This disease is considered as the major public health problem in the State. Perennial transmission of malaria is usual in the State, coupled with drug resistance in P. falciparum. More than 85% of the total malaria cases of the State are due to P. falciparum. Therefore, efforts will be made to determine the risk factors of perennial transmission of this disease in different physiographical regions and selective, sustainable and cost effective methods will be developed for prevention and control of malaria.

A vaccine may be an ideal weapon against malaria, because it would place the immune system in a state of readiness to kill the parasites whenever they invade the body. The genetic variation in parasites however limits the success of this approach. A multi-disciplinary approach is urgently necessary for the prevention of malaria.

Early and correct diagnosis is most important for proper management of malaria and to prevent further complications. Malaria diagnosis on the basis of clinical symptoms is at best 50% accurate. Diagnosis of malaria using conventional staining methods is unsatisfactory and interpretation of results requires considerable expertise. The fluorescent technique holds promise for the diagnosis of malaria. The PCR technique is better in view of its ability to detect infection in patients with very low parasitemia. However, false positive and false negative results may be found in a very few cases due to PCR inhabitation or contamination. An approach could be made to develop a diagnostic method using DNA hybridization technique to avoid false positive and negative results as found in PCR.

Indigenous plants having anti-malarial properties will be identified.

Filariasis :

India accounts for more than 40% of global lymphatic filariasis cases and, among the States, Orissa's share is the largest. Orissa has been an endemic home for lymphatic filariasis since time immemorial. Depiction of the clinical manifestation of the disease in the stone carvings in the Great Sun Temple at Konark shows that this disease has been known in Orissa for long. Lymphatic filariasis in India is caused by two nematode parasites viz., Wuchereria bancrofti and Brugia malayi. The latter was not known in India till it was reported in Orissa in 1929. Use of insecticide impregnated bed nets (which has given encouraging results in malaria) may be tried to check flilariasis transmission along with the WHO recommended single dose mass chemotherapy. Biotechnological intervention methods for prevention and control of this disease will be explored. Indigenous plants with anti-filarial properties will be identified.

Tuberculosis:

Tuberculosis is one of the most devastating infectious diseases in the world today. Currently, three million people die from tuberculosis every year. Incidence and mortality rate of pulmonary tuberculosis is rising globally, both in developing and developed countries. It is estimated that about 14 million people have tuberculosis in India of which 3.5 million are sputum positive and are infectious to the community. Each year, more than 2 million people develop active tuberculosis in India and up to 5,00,000 people die. This disease is endemic in Orissa. Two major factors contributing to this deterioration are emergence of Multi Drug Resistant (MDR) tuberculosis and the pandemic of HIV (Human Immuno Deficiency Virus) infection.

Effective chemotherapy along with accurate diagnosis is the key to a successful TB control programme. The most common drugs used for the treatment of tuberculosis are rifampicin, isoniazid, ethambutal, pyrazinamide and streptomycin. For the successful treatment of tuberculosis, consistent and uninterrupted medication for 6 to 8 months is required. Compliance with drug treatment in tuberculosis is a problem and there are direct inter-relations between relapses, drug regimes and compliance with treatments in tuberculosis.
MDR-TB is caused by inconsistent or partial treatment and is defined as TB resistant to the most important drugs, namely, isoniazid and rifampicin. The prevalence of MDR-TB is increasing in India which has upset the tuberculosis treatment and control programme. In case of HIV patients, it has been observed that poor absorption of anti-TB drugs contributes to acquired drug resistance and reduced effectiveness of anti-TB treatment.

Research will be strengthened in tuberculosis in the State. The role of some indigenous plants will be assessed.

Cancer:

In Orissa the prevalence of oral cancer is very high and thousands of new cases are diagnosed every year. Epidemiological studies reveal a positive correlation between oral cancer and various ways of tobacco consumption. Tobacco is being used widely in most of the rural areas. It is confirmed that prolonged consumption of betel leaves (pan) creates "field cancerization” which ultimately leads to oral cancer. The following steps are proposed to be taken:

i) Awareness programmes are to be organised.

ii) Molecular epidemiological studies are to be conducted. A systematic effort has to be made to select tumor suppressor genes, oncogenes, cell cycle regulators and viral proteins which are expressed at the beginning of the event.

iii) Economic and reliable methods for early diagnosis of cancer including molecular biological techniques etc. are to be developed.

iv) Recently, organic compounds isolated from various medicinal plants and plant products have shown anti-tumorigenic activity. Therefore, different plant extracts (e.g. limonene isolated from orange peels) may be tried for the prevention of oral cancer by using cell culture systems and suitable animal models.

Infrastructure for research:

The following specific items are identified by the Vision Group for action over the next five years:

1) Establishment of an Advanced Centre for Biotechnology at the Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar with focus on development and application of new diagnostic tools for rapid diagnosis of infectious diseases particularly in the setting of an out-break. It will do further research in the diagnosis of malaria and filariasis, and in risk factors for their transmission. It would have state of the art equipment, facilities and trained manpower to undertake research in these areas.

2) Orissa has competitive advantage in the field of traditional remedies for management of several diseases including filariasis, malaria and cancer. Promising interventions will be subjected to the scientific process of herbal/ active molecule development using test systems in vitro and in vivo. This activity will be promoted at the Institute of Life Sciences, as well as at other centres, including the Regional Medical Research Centre of ICMR at Bhubaneswar.