THE HEADLINES were arresting. “Improbable that company bought stolen forest item; cases quashed,” said a leading newspaper in Mumbai. “Cancer drug camptothecin not forest produce—Bombay High Court quashes cases against pharma company after 16 years,” proclaimed a well-known legal website in early January. Other publications had similar reports exonerating Fresenius Kabi Oncology, the Indian offshoot of German multinational Fresenius Kabi, of any wrongdoing in the purchase of camptothecin, which is used to make cancer drugs. The case is actually 18 years old—it was initiated in 2005—and illustrates why India’s rich biodiversity is depleting ever faster.
This story starts with a moderate-sized tree, Mappia foetida, known locally known as narkya or amruta, which is found in the Western Ghats. It grows to a height of 4-10 metres and is characterised by a fetid smell. Once, it was found abundantly, but today, narkya is a threatened species because it is an important medicinal plant, much in demand for its anti-cancer properties. The alkaloid camptothecin (CPT), extracted from the wood chips of the trees, is an essential component of chemotherapy and narkya is said to be the most promising source for large-scale production of cpt.
Denne historien er fra January 16, 2024-utgaven av Down To Earth.
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Denne historien er fra January 16, 2024-utgaven av Down To Earth.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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A SPRIG TO CARE FOR
Punarnava, a perennial herb, is easy to grow and has huge health benefits
DIGGING A DISASTER
Soapstone mining near Dabti Vijaypur village has caused many residents to migrate.
REVIEW THE TREATMENT
Several faecal sludge treatment plants in Uttar Pradesh suffer from design flaws that make the treatment process both expensive and inefficient
MAKE STEEL SUSTAINABLE
As India works to double its GDP by 2030, its steel industry must balance growth with sustainability. By embracing policies like the Steel Scrap Recycling Policy 2019 and adopting green technologies, India is paving the way for a more sustainable future in steel production
Can ANRF pull off the impossible for India?
Anusandhan National Research Foundation is expected to reorient India's innovation goals but funding issues, old mindsets remain a drag
TROUBLED WOODS
Forests are a great bulwark against climate change. But this is fast changing. AKSHIT SANGOMLA travels through some of the pristine patches of the Western Ghats to explore how natural disturbances triggered by global warming now threaten the forest health
BLINDING GLOW
The science is clear: increased illumination has damaging consequences for the health of humans, animals and plants. It’s time governments introduced policies to protect the natural darkness and improved the quality of outdoor lighting.
GROUND REALITY
What happens when the soil loses the ability to grow healthy, high-yield crops on its own?
GM POLICY MUST BE FARMER CENTRIC
On July 23, the Supreme Court of India directed the Union government to develop a national policy on genetically modified (GM) crops for research, cultivation, trade and commerce through public consultation.
Vinchurni's Gandhi
A 96-year-old farmer transforms barren land into a thriving forest in drought-prone region of Satara
