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A popular herb attracts no patents

Our Bureau

HYDERABAD, Dec. 28

A HERB, widely used in indigenous systems of medicine and a focus of research of Indian scientists for nearly half a century - Prickly-chaff flower - has surprisingly not attracted attention for patent protection.

In contrast, nearly a dozen patent claims on the utility of the herb which grows throughout the country, have been registered in the US, Japan and China.

Though not as popular as aswagandha or brahmi, achyranthes aspera or latjira in Hindi and Nayurini in Tamil, is known to have a variety of uses. Parts of the plant are used to cure health disorders like piles, dysentery, pneumonia, renal dropsy, gonorrho ea, etc.

Indian scientists have been working on the plant - Prickly-chaff flower - since 1952, but not a single patent has been obtained by any, according to a study done by the Patent Facility Centre (PFC) of the Technology Information Forecasting and Asse ssment Council (TIFAC).

The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has granted three patents related to drugs in which the herb is an important constituent. While one patent claims enhancement of the curative action of the drugs; another relates to the cosmetic or dermatologica l composition. The third derives ecdysteriod from the plant with medicinal properties and a French company holds the patent.

The Japanese claims related to antibacterial properties with applications as food preserving agent. In the second, the plant extract is used as part of a formulation to increase the storage of perishable food items, the TIFAC study said. The Chinese have also used the plant versatility in medical formulations to treat swelling joints, to give relief from after effects of radiation therapy, as a tablet for throat irritation, the study said.

Another interesting claim made recently with the European Patent Office (EPO) deals with a herbal composition, a paste and plaster using the Achyranthes aspera plant as the main ingredient. The composition is expected to promote blood circulation.