In a breakthrough move that can help the fight against dengue, scientists in India claim to have developed an herbal medicine. Experts are now gearing up for the next step, which is to hold clinical trials and toxicity studies before seeking permission, from the Ministry of Ayush and the Drug Controller of India (DCI), for commercial production.

The project was undertaken jointly by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), under the Ministry of Science and Technology, the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology and Ranbaxy Research Laboratory (now owned by Sun Pharma), and employed Ayurveda in devising the drug.

Results showed that the alcoholic extract of Cissampelos pariera Linn (Cipa extract) was a potent inhibitor of all four DENVs in cell-based assays, Khanna said. He further added that virus yield reduction assays showed that Cipa extract could decrease viral titres by an order of magnitude. The extract conferred statistically significant protection against DENV infection.

Mohammad Aslam, senior advisor to DBT, which funded the project, said since the drug has been made from plant extracts and not chemicals, it has sought permission from both the Ministry of Ayush and also the Drug Controller of India.

Dengue, a mosquito-borne viral disease, poses a significant global public health risk. In tropical countries such as India, where periodic dengue outbreaks can be correlated to the high prevalence of the mosquito vector circulation of all four dengue viruses (DENVs) and the high population density, a drug for dengue is being increasingly recognised as an unmet public health need.