Indian scientists achieve major breakthrough with anti-inflammatory drug Tromaril

Scientists Hashim (left) and Sathir: Discoveries are few and far betweenIndian scientists will notch up a major breakthrough later this month when a drug called Tromaril goes on sale at chemists shops in the country. Tromaril isn't a routine product: it is the first drug ever to be synthesised by Indian scientists. Indian scientists and pharmaceutical firms have been making basic drugs under licence from abroad and have created scores of different formulations.Tromaril, which has potent anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic properties, is the first original home-made product. It is designed to relieve pain, reduce swellings and improve joint mobility, and is expected to be used in the treatment of inflammations caused by sprains, bruises or surgical incisions.Researchers of the Medicinal Chemistry Division at the Regional Research Laboratory (RRI) Hyderabad of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) spent 12 years, and conceived 200 compounds before making the breakthrough that is being listed as enfenamic acid in the international chemical dictionary."There is no other drug that can be used so safely and by so many people and for so many different purposes. And it works better than the four imported drugs now prescribed for treatment in the country," says the tubby and voluble Prahlad Balwantrao Sattur, 50, who with the lean and modest S. Riaz Hashim, 40, made the discovery.According to scientists, Tromaril is an excellent non-steroidal agent for the treatment of joint pains and for the reduction of inflammatory tissue reactions. Medical evidence suggests that it is very well absorbed from the intestine and need be given only twice a day making it more easily acceptable by patients. It is found to be safe in the presence of diabetes, hypertension, congestive cardiac failure and renal failure. Other evidence suggests that it increases functional capacity in those immobilised by rheumatoid arthritis, rheumatic fever, osteoarthritis and gout.Tromaril has also potential life-saving effects for persons in danger of heart attacks, strokes, for it can black the formation of life-threatening blood clots. What sets it apart from other anti-inflammatory drugs, is the discharge of excess sodium and water, a problem in aged persons prone to hypertension.Results: Sattur says that the drug has already attracted interest abroad possibly because it is a specific anti-prostaglandin. The prostaglandins are hormone-like substances produced by cells throughout the body. They have an extremely wide range of effects for they help control such life functions as reproduction, inflammation, blood pressure regulation, hormone secretion and metabolism.While they are vital to human health, imbalances in their production appear to cause certain diseases. Arthritis, for example, is associated with excessive prostaglandin production. Such disorders as stomach ulcers may be due to prostaglandin deficiencies.Prostaglandins have also been shown to play a part in bronchial asthma, diarrhoea, premature labour, abortion and malignant growth. The RRL drug is believed to inhibit the production of prostaglandin.Drug research is a hit or miss game which scientists play with varied chemical compounds. The idea is to find a proper balance between a particular compound's activity and toxicity. G. Thygarajan, 49, an organic chemist and director of the laboratory says: "Much of the effort goes into maximising the activity to make the drug more effective while minimising the toxicity so as to reduce harmful effects." Hashim avers that "the complexities make drug discovery in spite of all scientific reasoning a matter of chance".Many scientists spend a lifetime without any useful discovery. The process begins with the medicinal chemists' study of the structure of the chemical compound. One way is to take a known drug and try to modify its molecule to remove harmful or unwanted side effects and the other is to look for specific properties in different molecular structures.Experimental Studies:Then the cultures are administered to mice and rats before a few compounds are chosen for further screening and detailed studies. After these experimental animal studies usually only about one compound in 5,000 holds promise.Before this is done, safety checks are made as it is possible that a drug well absorbed in animals may be rejected by man and disastrous side effects could occur. So, the human trials are spread over a few years. Thus, 10 or more years of work may end in success or fizzle out in failure.G.S. Sidhu, chairman of the National Research Development Corporation (NRDC) says: "Even in advanced countries it takes 10 to 12 years for the discovery of a new drug and possibly 10,000 new compounds have to be screened before a drug emerges. Research and development cost is of the order of $ 3-5 million (Rs 2.4-4 crore) excluding promotional expenses. In India we have succeeded after spending about five million rupees."In the '50s Sidhu was among those associated with the synthesis and development of compounds that led to the discovery of methaqualone, a non-barbiturate hypnotic drug. Unfortunately, the discovery was freely exploited by many laboratories and today many countries make methaqualone.Having learnt from past experience, RRL researchers keep the new drug closely guarded a code name was used when Tromaril was being tested: RH-8 (RH for Riaz Hashim).The financial aspect of the new discovery is interesting. The Bombay based Unichem Laboratories gave Rs 25 lakh to support research which led to Tromaril. Now, the firm has contracted for producing the drug, paying a 9 per cent royalty on the annual turnover, while the patent rests with the CSIR.But the Tromaril breakthrough is more the exception than the rule. Few companies are willing to invest in drug research for it is time consuming and success is uncertain.Published By: AtMigration Published On: Nov 26, 2013 11:16 IST--- ENDS ---

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Indian scientists achieve major breakthrough with anti-inflammatory drug Tromaril

Indian scientists will notch up a major breakthrough later this month when a drug called Tromaril goes on sale at chemists shops in the country.

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