| INDIAN HERBAL SCIENTISTS claim to have found an | | | | entered into an agreement with IIHM for the bulk |
| effective and cheap treatment for the Hepatitis B, | | | | production of the drug. |
| the dreaded disease that has some two billion | | | | The Herbal formulation has the capacity of raising |
| infected people (infected with HBV - Hepatitis B | | | | both the haemoglobin and interferon. "We are going |
| virus), out of which more than 350 million have | | | | ahead with more trials of the drug and discussions |
| chronic (lifelong) infections, across the globe. | | | | with other agencies were on," says Dr. Singh. |
| Lucknow based International Institute of Herbal | | | | "The herbs were raised in the botanical garden of |
| Medicine (IIHM), headed by Dr Narendra Singh has | | | | Banaras Hindu University and Central Institute of |
| developed an extract of traditional Indian plants | | | | Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP), thus giving |
| (liver-kidney cure), which catalyses the generation of | | | | boost to the prospects of being recognised in a big |
| interferon in the cells. The low generation of | | | | way," he pointed out. |
| interferon in the cells reduces the liver's capacity to | | | | Hepatitis B is preventable with safe and effective |
| fight with the viral infections. The liver-kidney cure | | | | vaccines that have been available since 1982. It is 95 |
| for hepatitis is a combination of Bohrriva Deffusa | | | | per cent effective in stopping chronic infections from |
| (Punarva), Picorhiza Curova (Kutki) and Phylynathus | | | | developing. It is the first vaccine against a major |
| Hirruri herbal extracts, which has been found highly | | | | human cancer. The World Health Organization (WHO) |
| useful in treating the deadly disease. | | | | called for all children to receive the hepatitis B |
| Singh says that scientists and clinicians from 12 Asian | | | | vaccine, in 1991. 116 countries have added this |
| countries were a part of the intensive research and | | | | vaccine to their routine immunisation programmes. |
| the drug was recently given recognition by Orthodox | | | | However, India, where the vaccine is needed most, |
| Union, an agency from USA and Israel. Companies | | | | has not been receiving it because the government |
| from USA, France, Israel and Canada have already | | | | cannot afford it. |