BHU scientists develop new variety medicinal Rishyagandha

New Delhi: Banaras Hindu University (BHU) scientists are reported to have developed a new variety of medicinal plant Rishyagandha which is said to contain the properties to treat all types of cancer, especially cervical and diabetes using nano-biotechnology in their lab.

The research which is an interdisciplinary work of Dept of Botany & Dept of Molecular Human Genetics was conducted by Prof.Shashi Pandey and her research scholars including Dr.Deepika Tripathi. 

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After eight years of long research, the new variety was developed using nano-biotechnology. The research done on the basis of Indian Ayurveda is now being approved by scientists of many countries. Rishyagandha is mainly available in the dry hot climatic conditions of Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India.

Prof. Shashi Pandey from the Department of Botany, BHU told IANS, "scientists at Banaras Hindu University have grown high-quality medicinal plant Rishyagandha in their lab by utilizing nano-biotechnological approach. This is the latest example of integrating technology in Ayurveda research and taking the ancient medical science of India to the masses."

Prof. Shashi Pandey undertook research with her student Dr. Deepika Tripathi eight years ago. The study of Dr. Pandey suggested the potential role of Nano-biotechnology in the improvised version of Rhishygandha along with the high content of bioactive pharmacological compounds withanolides.

Prof. Pandey said that initially, they developed an efficient protocol to propagate this endangered plant using in-vitro plant tissue culture methods. Further, under collaboration with Prof. Gopeshwar Narayan of the Molecular and Human Genetics Department, the efficiency of green synthesized nanoparticles was also studied using laboratory-grown plant extracts as a potent drug against cervical cancer.

Continuing this research work, Prof. Pandey found that synthesized nanoparticles and UV-B treatment in the laboratory conditions enhanced the yield of Rishyagandha with a quantitative increase of about 50 percent in its medicinally useful compounds withanolides.

Prof. Pandey told IANS: "By integrating nano-biotechnological approaches, we can conserve the plant in nature along with its enhanced medicinal potential. New researchers of the lab are now extending this work towards finding out the effect of different environmental factors on the production of the compounds Rishyagandha."

Recognizing Pandey's effort, recently she has been elected as a member of Genome India International (GII). "Banaras Hindu University offers a unique amalgamation of education and research in traditional Indian knowledge and modern sciences in one place. This specialty makes BHU truly the capital of knowledge, not only in India but all across the globe," Prof. Pandey added

Rishyagandha is commonly known as 'Paneer flower' or 'Paneer bandha' and in scientific language as 'Withania coagulants. Generally, its seeds are used for making paneer in the dairy industry, as it has enzyme protease.

Studies related to these findings have been published in prestigious international research journals such as 'Material Science and Engineering C', 'Plant Cell Reports' and 'Physiology and Molecular Biology of Plants'.

The plant has been included in the endangered category due to indiscriminate use and various other reasons. Currently, to maintain the sustainability of this endangered plant and to improve the pharmacological efficiency with high efficacy, various researches are being carried out.

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