18-05-2025
Plant-based therapeutic formulation to deal with Thalassemia and Sickle cell Anaemia
Researchers from BITS Pilani Hyderabad Campus have claimed to have developed a plant-based therapeutic formulation for improved Iron Chelation Therapy (ICT), offering hope for safer and more accessible treatment options.
Iron overload is a growing concern in India, especially among patients with Thalassemia and Sickle cell Anaemia who depend on frequent blood transfusions. Left untreated, excess iron can severely damage the liver, heart and endocrine system. There are over 100,000 Thalassemia major patients, many of whom require perpetual ICT to manage iron toxicity.
While effective, 'Deferoxamine (DFO)', the current gold standard for ICT, poses several challenges including poor oral bioavailability, high cost and notable side effects such as nephrotoxicity and poor patient compliance.
The institute researchers team consisting of Trinath Jamma, Onkar Kulkarni, Ramakrishnan Ganesan, Jayati Ray Dutta, Pranathi Tata and Aparajita Ghosh have developed a formulation, which has shown superior performance to DFO in in their animal studies.
They have demonstrated in their research study that this plant-inspired complex not only efficiently removes excess iron but also results in lower systemic toxicity. 'By harnessing the natural chelating ability of polyphenols to bind to iron and combining it with natural organic compounds, the formulation offers a biocompatible, affordable, and safer therapeutic alternative,' said Mr. Ganesan.
The work marks a milestone in green and patient-centric drug development, potentially transforming iron overload management not just in the country but also globally. Their research work has recently been published in 'Molecular Pharmaceutics', an American Chemical Society Journal, said a press release.
