Geetanjali Institute of Pharmacy organised contemporary approaches for the development of Natural Products and envisaged future trends

A One day National Conference on “Contemporary Approaches for the Development of Natural Products and Envisaged Future Trends” Sponsored by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Association of Pharmaceutical Teachers of India (APTI) was recently organized by Geetanjali Institute of Pharmacy, Geetanjali University, Udaipur on 17th September, 2016. Around 400 delegates comprising of Principals, teachers, research scholars, post graduate and graduate students from various institutes across India participated in the one day conference.

Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Association of Pharmaceutical Teachers of India (APTI) Sponsored One Day

National  Conference on
“Contemporary Approaches for the Development of Natural Products and Envisaged Future Trends”
on 17th September, 2016

The inaugural session of the conference begun at 09:30 AM at Lt. Smt. Narmada Devi Agarwal Auditorium with the invocation song and lighting of lamp by the dignitaries that included Dr. Vimal Kumar (Professor and Head, Pharmacognosy, Institute of Pharmacy, Nirma University, S.G. Highway, Ahmedabad- 382 481, Gujarat, India); Dr. Manan Raval (Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacognosy, Ramanbhai Patel College of Pharmacy, CHARUSAT, Changa, 388421, Ta-Petlad, Dist.-Anand, Gujarat, India); Dr. S. S. Katewa (Department of Botany, University College of Science, Mohanlal Sukhadia University, Udaipur-313001, Rajasthan, India); Dr. Ashok Dashora (Dean), Dr. Kalpesh Gaur (Organizing Secretary) and dignitaries from academia, government and industry graced the occasion. Followed this, all the speakers are welcomed by a floral bouquet.

The scientific session started with lecture on “Drug Discovery from Natural- a Prototype Study on Indian Medicinal Plants” by Dr. Manan Raval. He educated the audience that how natural products are much more safe and effective and up to 80% of pharmacopoeia drugs are natural drugs. Compounds present in natural resources are same as compounds present in human body & they are more compatible. Natural products provide and synthesis many new compounds which cannot be synthesised easily. He talked about various plant compounds especially alkaloids and their action on male reproductive organs and effect of different fractions of alkaloids on Testosterone.

Later on, Dr. S. S. Katewa enlightened about the flora & fauna of Rajasthan, different tribes living here and shows us how these tribes use medicinal plants. He focused on the Kathodis or Katkaris, a tribe of catechu makers, living in southern region of Rajasthan, their customs, traditions and importance of plants and plant products in their daily life. They mainly use non codified plants. He educated audience about Abrus precatorius (Ratti), Chlorophytum borivilianum (Safed musli), Madhuca Indica (mahua) etc and their uses. He also added about the Rebari tribe an indigenous tribal caste of nomadic cattle and camel herders and shepherds and their Knowledge about Veterinary disease and their treatment.

After a high tea and breakfast, the last lecture of scientific session was delivered on “Lead Finding for Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitors from Natural Products” by Dr. Vimal Kumar. He started with the advantages of natural products and said 65-80% of population uses traditional medicines as primary health care. He talked about the Indian System of medicines & Ayurveda that our system is time tested, trusted but not structured. Ayurveda and natural products can cure disease like liver toxicity, diabetes, asthma but allopathic drugs cannot. Ayurveda and natural drug can cure the disease from root level, he added. He talked about the drug development process & about Super Critical Fluid technology, its advantages as it is a green technology and uses carbon dioxide as a solvent which is a nontoxic, inexpensive, non-flammable, and non-polluting supercritical fluid solvent for the extraction of natural products.

The conference concluded with the vote of thanks by Dr. Ashok Dashora, Convener of conference. He expressed his thanks to all speakers and guests for accepting the invitations, sponsors & his staff for support and encouragement. All the working committees performed their function with full devotion and sincerity. The conference can be declared as a success as far as the feedbacks of students and resource persons are considered. The conference deliberated upon the current trends to evaluate existing opportunities and future prospects to set the promotion standards for the development of Natural Products.