India is endowed with a rich marine biota along its 8000 km coastline,
especially in the coral reefs that occur in her tropical waters, which demonstrates
the highest level of known diversity among marine species. The National Project on
Drugs from Sea taken up by the Department during 1990-91, aims to harness
industrially viable chemicals from the marine flora and fauna that possess diverse
bioactive substances. During the period 148 new marine flora and fauna were
tested for general biological screening and follow-up studies on the most promising
organisms with confirmed activities have yielded valuable clues for developing
potent drugs. Six marine organisms showing potent activity as antidiabetic-cum-
antidiarrhoeal, antihyperlipidaemic, antianxiety, anticholesterol-cum-antioxidant,
anxiolytic-cum-antifungal and larvicidal agents were taken up for product
development during 2000-2001 in the extended Phase III of this project.
 The extracts for antidiabetic and antidiarrhoeal drugs were standardised and quality control parameters based on Thin Layer Chromatography and High Performance Liquid Chromatography patterns have been generated. Regular chronic toxicity studies have been completed in rats and are also being pursued in monkeys. The oil from the liver of two fishes has been found to significantly lower the total cholesterol, phospholipid and triglyceride levels in the serum of rats (Glucose Loaded Models). Physical data for quality control of this antihyperlipidaemic agent have been generated. Regulatory pharmacological and toxicological studies are in progress. |
