Medical Research Centre-Kasturba Health Society: An Integrated Vision and Endeavour for Biomedical Research
“A whole of science is nothing more than a refinement of every day thinking.”
— Albert Einstein
The Medical Research Centre of the Kasturba Health Society (MRC-KHS) is the only centre in the world dedicated to research and education in Reverse Pharmacology (RP), a fast track and cost effective process for new drug discovery and development; especially from traditional medicine. Reverse Pharmacology bridges the gulf between the domains of Ayurvedic fundamentals/therapeutics (Shastra) and advances of modern bio-medicine (Science). This centre has set a trend in new drug discovery through RP, at a time when major research centres attached to leading drug-industries in India have been closed. Prof. Ashok Vaidya, Research Director of MRC-KHS, and former Regional Medical Director of Ciba-Geigy says “Small is beautiful, functional and can be sustainable” and adds “Research prospers through collaboration.” The collaborative efforts of MRC-KHS teamhave been evident from the leadership role it has played in coordinating a major nationwide CSIR-NMITLI project in diabetes and also participated in osteoarthritis and hepatitis projects.
The discipline of RP is recognized nationally and has its global echoes. Ashok Vaidya was invited by NIH to talk on “Reverse Pharmacology and Fast Tracking of Natural Products” in MR4 workshop on “International Cooperative Biodiversity Group (ICBG) Program: Screening and Preclinical Development of Antimalarials”. Dr. Merlin Wilcox was impressed with the concept of RP. He discovered and developed antimalarial drugs from medicinal plants including Argemone mexicana as an antimalarial in Mali. Antimalarial activity and safety of Nyctanthes arbor-tristis was shown in an experiential study by Karnik, Tathed and MRC team. Para-clinical studies with extracts and fractions of the plant in vitro, carried out by Dr. Chhaya Godse, Associate Research and Academic Director-MRC-KHS, showed anti-parasitic activity in even drug-resistant P. falciparum strain at Drexel University in collaboration with Prof. Akhil Vaidya, Director- Centre for Molecular Parasitology. In a further in-depth exploratory study N. arbor-tristis was shown to be immuno-modulatory and disease-modifying besides anti-parasitic, as confirmed by DNA-PCR studies. Dr. Ashok Amonkar, Academic Director MRC-KHS has concentrated and isolated putative active/s from the plant and the candidate compound is being identified.
The paradigm-shifting approach of RP was recognized by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) which awarded “Advanced Centre of Reverse Pharmacology in Traditional Medicine” to the MRC team. The ICMR project covered the work on N. arbor-tristis (vide supra), Withania somnifera for sarcopenia (vide infra) and Curcuma longa to enhance neuro-plasticity. The latter work was carried out in collaboration with Prof. Vidita Vaidya, Department of Biological Sciences - Tata Institute of Fundamental Research.
The discipline of RP has led to interesting hits, leads and candidates for new drug discoveries. MRC team has done extensive research on Picrorhiza kurroa as a hepatoprotective. The plant and its phytoactives have a vast potential for viral hepatitis, non-alchoholic steatohepatitis and drug-induced hepatic damage. Hiteshi Dhami-Shah, a PhD student, is pursuing the hepato-protective phytoactives in an in vitro model of lipid accumulation in hepatocytes. Dr. Shobha Udipi, Director of Integrative Nutrition and Ayurceuticals at MRC-KHS, is guiding the project. Mucuna pruriens was shown to be effective and safe in the management of Parkinson’s disease by the team. It was subsequently taken up by a leading Ayurvedic company which has marketed it as a standardized drug.
Dr. Rama Vaidya, Director of the Division of Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders of MRC-KHS has proposed Ayurvedic Pharmacoepidemiology (AyPE) and Observational Therapeutics to strengthen experiential base of RP. Dr. Girish Tillu did his PhD thesis on AyPE of antiarthritic remedies under the guidance of Prof. Bhushan Patwardhan, Professor of Health Sciences, University of Pune and Rama Vaidya. Dr. Nutan Nabar, Asst. Dean MRC-KHS is currently doing her PhD under the guidance of Ashok Vaidya. Similar AyPE efforts have been initiated by Dr. Manickum and Dr. Mahendale, Director ICMR Institute of Epidemiology, in Siddha Medicine in collaboration with MRC.
MRC-KHS team has been focusing on services and research on musculoskeletal health and associated diseases of elderly viz., rheumatoid and osteoarthritis, sarcopenia and post-menopausal osteoporosis. The centre has organized MAITREYI, a health care module for menopausal women. Dr. Ashwinikumar Raut, Director Clinical Research, under CSIR-NMITLI project showed safety and efficacy of Amrutbhallatak in Osteoarthritis. A study of Withania somnifera was carried out in collaboration with Prof. N. Rege of Seth GS Medical College. With Dr. Mihir Joshi’s team at Crystal Laboratory, Saurashtra University, extensive work was carried out on bio-crystals responsible for urinary stones and arthropathy, by Ashok Vaidya and Raut. Several plants were studied in an in vitro model of crystal formation. The work on this project has resulted in three PhD thesis and several scientific papers in national and international journals with high impact. The centre is currently coordinating a clinical study of the effect of Dalbergia sissoo for postmenopausal osteoporosis. This research compound of CDRI has been taken up for further development by a company. Dr. Deepak Patkar, Adjunct Professor and Director of Imaging at MRC-KHS, Dr. Preeti Galvankar, Consultant Gynecologist-MRCKHS and Dr. Meeta Singh, Director-Tanvi Hospital for Mother and Child Health, Hyderabad are major partners in this project.
MRC-KHS has basic and applied Life Science laboratories. Dr. SC Talwalkar and Mrs. Shubhada Agashe have provided yeoman services for routine and sophisticated laboratory investigations. The laboratories have core facilities of auto-analyzers, coulter counter, gamma counter, spectrophotofluorometer, HPTLC, HPLC, PCR, platelet aggregometer, cell culture hood etc. MPharm, MSc and PhD students of other colleges and universities avail of these facilities and expert guidance. The MRC team has an excellent library resource which is currently housed at Karjat, courtesy Shree Yatin Pathak. The library collection has rare Ayurvedic Books and back volumes of major journals like Nature, Science etc. Currently, there is a program of translating some of the classics of Ayurveda into English eg., Siddha Yoga Sangraha of JT Acharya.
The MRC team, for many years, has an active interest in cancer prevention and regression. Our team with the leadership of late Dr. Sumati Bhide was the first to show the antimutagenic and chemo-preventive effects of Curcuma longa. An extensive review on the “Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Cancer Care in India” was published by our team in an international monograph. Dr. Jayashree Joshi, Joint Research Director MRC-KHS, has a long term interest in cervical cancer and vaginal infections. Several formulations and plant products including C. longa have been studied in patients. Prajakta Paradkar, a PhD student, is pursuing the phytoactives of C. longa and Tinospora cordifolia in vitro, for anticancer and antiangiogenic activity.
A major domain of interest to MRC is the challenge of life-style diseases. The latter are often the consequences of obesity, metabolic syndrome, dyslipidemia and diabetes mellitus. There is a long track record of MRC team in screening of antidiabetic plants and formulations used in Ayurveda. For the CSIR NMITLI project six plants were selected. One of the six, has been developed as a formulation for diabetes and has been taken up jointly with a leading Industry for global development. Prof. Urmila Thatte of Seth GS Medical College and KEM Hospital and Rama Vaidya are guiding the project. Prof. Pratima Tatke of C U Shah College of Pharmacy, SNDT University and Prof. Renuka Munshi of Topiwala National Medical College and BYLNair Charitable Hospital are collaborators.
Our group has carried out extensive research on obesity, metabolic syndrome and Poly Cystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). In addition, unique programs of MAITREYI for menopausal women and Steps-to-Swasthya module have been major contributions for life-style management. Dr. Deepak Dave, Medical Director MRC-KHS has been spear-heading a preventive endeavour to study the first degree relatives of diabetics so as to lead to early detection and life-style education. Dr. Akshay Mehta, Consultant Cardiologist, has been a major support to cardio-metabolic services and research. It is desirable to engage students and teachers very early. A program named School Health Education and Enlightened Living (SHEEL) was initiated by our team led by Rama Vaidya. Later several components of SHEEL were adopted by the Government of Maharashtra.
Besides obesity, another major problem is musculoskeletal development vis-à-vis life-style and aging. Dr. Mona Shah, Director Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, MRC-KHS has organized services for the sector: prevention of falls and fractures in the aged, “ANSHU” program for physically or mentally challenged children and for patients with back ache. Dr. Tushar Jimulia, Consultant Orthopedic Surgeon, has been a dynamic collaborator at MRC-KHS.
The centre is a component of Kasturba Health Society, Sevagram. The sapling was planted by Gandhiji, with a ten bed facility. The banyan tree has grown to a thousand bed Kasturba Hospital and the outstanding rural Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, nurtured by Dr. Sushila Nayar and Shree Dhiru Mehta for decades. The values of non-violence, compassion and ethics in scientific research are guiding all the Institutes of KHS. Bombay Gorakshak Trust has supported a project to replace Fetal Bovine Serum (FBS) with cow milk whey and other biological fluids. The collection of FBS involves a violent method of death of many cows and new born calves. Promising results for replacement of FBS are being followed up for its translational rationale.
The centre has also provided a venue, facilities, inputs and strong editorial support of several journals eg., The Indian Practitioner, Journal of Midlife Health, Journal of Obesity and Metabolic Research, Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine and Indian Drugs.
The inputs by the MRC faculty to the national planning for health, research councils of the Government of India, Industrial R&D and professional societies are sizeable. Several new initiatives have been taken like Vaidya- Scientist Fellowship Program, Ayurgenomics, Systems Ayurveda, Phytopharmaceuticals, Gavya-Chikitsa and Ayurceuticals. The faculty has published several books, monographs, reviews and research papers in their fields of expertise besides medicinal plants, Ayurvedic Pharmacology, Observational Therapeutics, Ayurvedic Pharmaco-epidemiology, and Reverse Pharmacology.
The MRC team has been organizing Prof. PK Devi Orations for more than two decades. The first oration by Prof. Sune Bergstrom, Nobel Laureate set the pace for excellence by an advocacy for girl child education and impact on health. Vaidya DS Antarkar Memorial Forum was established and the volume commemorating his life and works was published.
The centre is fortunate in having an efficient Hon. Chief Finance Officer – Sri Manojbhai Rajguru and amiable Administrative Officer – Mr. Pravas Master. Sachin has been strength of the centre as a supportive assistant with multiple functions.
The centre is fortunate in having outstanding adjunct and visiting faculty: Prof. Akhil Vaidya (Molecular Parasitology), Prof. DBA Narayan (Phytopharmaceuticals), Dr. Jayesh Sheth (Human Genetics), Dr. Vishnu Acharya (Cancer Surgeon), Prof. Vidita Vaidya (Neurosciences), Dr. VS Ajagaonkar (Dibetologist), Dr. Deepak Patkar (Imaging Sciences & Radiology), Dr. Preeti Galvankar (Gynecologist), Dr. Namyata Pathak (Vaidya- Scientist), Dr. Kalpana Shah-Dhuri (Panchkarma Specialist).