They have developed an economically-efficient method of productionResearchers at the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras have identified a sustainable, high-yielding alternative source for the anti-cancer drug camptothecin. Camptothecin is an alkaloid isolated from ‘Camptotheca Acuminata’, a Chinese tree and ‘Nothapodytes Nimmoniana’, an Indian tree. In the past decade, the population of N. Nimmoniana fell by 20%, according to the researchers. The researchers have developed a microbial fermentation process that can be an economically-efficient method of production to fulfil the market demand. There are five members on her team, including a researcher from the University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bengaluru.

Source: The Hindu February 25, 2021 20:15 UTC