Breakthrough in cancer treatment
BVS BHASKAR
Young engineer develops tablets for effective treatment of cancer
Palla Venkatesh in the lab.—Photo: By Arrangement
Tissue culture experiments go a long way in developing plants, particularly those with medicinal value. A young engineer from Kadiyapulanka village in East Godavari district successfully carried out two projects and got them tested in IIT Chennai Labs. The projects were also certified and recommended for pharmaceutical labs by the Centre for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER).
The projects include a tablet made through tissue culture for treatment of cancer and one that prevents skin rashes.
Palla Venkatesh is son of an agriculturist in Kadiyapulanka, which is popular for its nurseries. He obtained a degree in Engineering from Satyabhama University in Chennai with specialisation in Bio-Technology. He later did MBA at GIET College, Rajahmundry.
During his Engineering final year, Venkatesh did two projects on tissue culture which was appreciated not only by the University authorities, but also IIT-Chennai professors who evaluated the projects.
In his first project, Venkatesh developed mass multiplication of rhynacantus nusitus, a disease resistant and pest resistant plant, which can be used for cancer treatment through. The Cancer Institute later identified that the extract of the plant is useful for making Xeloda tablets, which can replace chemotheraphy for patients above 60 years.
“This tablet has been in the market for the last 10 years. I, along with two others, only made mass multiplication of plant tissues through which pest-resistant plants can be produced in hundreds and throusands,” Mr. Venkatesh said.
Skin rashes
Venkatesh’s second project dealt with medicine for skin rashes. Wedelia trilobata, which was developed through tissue culture, was found to have medicinal values.
Prof. Justin Koirpillai of IIT-Chennai who evaluated the project said: “Wedelia trilobata propagation is crucial in tissue culture, and a group of students led by Venkatesh Palla have proved this through microscopic analysis and found medicinal values in it.” Interestingly, Venkatesh turned down lucrative offers from MNC’s and took up tissue culture experiments as his way of life. His grandfather Palla Venkanna, a national award winner, was a progressive farmer who developed nurseries in Kadiyam mandal between 1970’s and 1990’s. His father Palla Sattibabu and uncle Palla Subrahmanyam are his inspiration.
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