Kochi | Two seaweed-based nutraceuticals, for boosting immunity against virus and combating high cholesterol, of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research's (ICAR) Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) will soon hit the markets.
CMFRI signed a license agreement with Pioneer Pharmaceuticals Ltd, a wellness and pharmaceutical company based in Kochi, for commercial production and marketing of the two nutraceuticals, a central government release said on Wednesday.
The agreement was signed by A Gopalakrishnan, Director of CMFRI, with Joby George, the Managing Partner of the pharma company, it said.
Bioactive pharmacophore leads from seaweeds were used to develop these two nutraceutical products, which are a 100 per cent natural blend of highly nutritious bioactive ingredients extracted with eco-friendly ‘green' technology, Gopalakrishnan is quoted as having said in the release.
According to CMFRI, the product CadalminTM Immunalgin extract or CadalminTM IMe could be used against post COVID complications as this nutraceutical has antiviral properties against delta variant of SARS CoV-2 virus.
"It elevates immune responses by the regulation of the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines," Kajal Chakraborty, Head of the Marine Biotechnology, Fish Nutrition and Health Division of the CMFRI, said in the release.
Chakraborty led the research works to develop these products.
It will act as a good naturally derived alternative source for health benefits against inflammation and autoimmune disorders, he said.
Regarding the second nutraceutical, Chakraborty said, in the release, it has been proven as a natural remedy to combat dyslipidemia and hypercholesterolemic disorders.
Dyslipidemia is the presence of high levels of cholesterol in the blood.
He said that the second nutraceutical was developed using seaweed concentrate with anti-dyslipidemic activities following a sequel of purification steps.
"These nutraceutical products contain 100 per cent natural marine bioactive ingredients from selected seaweeds, which are commonly available in the Indian coastal waters," he is quoted as having said in the release.
Referring to the future plans, Gopalakrishnan said that CMFRI was in the process of developing more health products from seaweeds towards their utilization based on the national policy to harness the potential of this natural wealth of Indian coastal waters.
Seaweeds are termed as the 'wonder herbs of the ocean' and are the sources of future pharmaceuticals and food for human well-being, he said.
Besides these two products, the institute has successfully brought out nutraceuticals targeting a range of lifestyle diseases, such as type-2 diabetes, arthritis, hypertension, hypothyroidism, osteoporosis and fatty liver, the release said.
These products would be made available in the market within a six month time frame by the Pioneer Pharmaceuticals, it added.
