TNPSC Thervupettagam

Plant cells to produce cancer drug

January 9 , 2024 311 days 346 0
  • Researchers at the Indian Institutes of Technology Madras and Mandi have metabolically engineered plant cells to increase production of anti-cancer drug camptothecin (CPT). 
  • The allopathic medicine is produced using Nathapodytes nimmoniana, a native, endangered plant.
  • It requires nearly 1,000 tonnes of plant material to extract 1 tonne of CPT.
  • The International Union for Conservation of Nature has red-listed the plant.
  • In the past decade alone there has been a 20% decline in the plant’s population. 

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