• Invention is based on medicinal plants used in traditional medicine for healing of diseased and injured bones.

• Acts as a carrier to deliver natural plant products or phyto-bioactives to boost new bone formation in case of diseased and injured bones.

Kanpur, 27 July, 2022: Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur and Birla Institute of Technology (BIT), Mesra have jointly developed a novel drug delivery system that enables efficient delivery of phyto-bioactives to promote healing of diseased and injured bones. The team was led by Prof. Ashok Kumar (Biological Sciences & Bioengineering Department, IIT Kanpur) and Dr. Sneha Singh (BIT Mesra).

Phyto-bioactives are natural chemicals produced by plants that have health benefits for humans. Phyto-bioactives have been commonly used in traditional medicine for the healing of diseased and injured bones and the innovative delivery system developed by the team helps in carrying these phyto-bioactives to the site of the bone disease or injury where it promotes healing. The delivery system has been built using new technology for usage of nano-hydroxyapatite, a biomaterial that is known to help remineralize and repair teeth and bones. The nano-hydroxyapatite-based bone substitute allows local, sustained release and long-term delivery of the phyto-bioactive constituents to heal bone defects.

Prof. Abhay Karandikar, Director, IIT Kanpur said, “IIT Kanpur is the hub for multidisciplinary healthcare research. The successful invention of a novel bone healing bioactive delivery system allows us to combine the best of modern biotech with our traditional plant-based medicine to help in the healing of bone disease. I congratulate the whole team and believe that this milestone will open up new avenues for innovation in healthcare.”

Bone injuries occur due to trauma or different disease conditions. Phyto-bioactives or plant extracts are natural and non-toxic therapeutic alternatives in treating bone injuries safely and without any side effects even in higher doses. They are widely used in alternative medicine for curing bone ailments and in promoting healing. The novel delivery system helps in efficiently carrying the plant chemicals to the site of the injury.

The innovative delivery system has been developed for phyto-bioactives from the plant, Cissus quadrangularis (CQ), commonly known as Veld grape. This plant is known for its benefits for joint and bone health and the drug delivery system circumvents the limitations associated with growth factors, hormones and synthetic drugs. The delivery system promotes stimulation of osteoblast genesis (bone cells for the development of new bone) and can be used as preventive/alternative natural medicine for bone diseases such as osteoporosis. The innovation will cater to critical bone defects with acceleration of the growth of new bones and is expected to bring significant changes in bone healing treatments.

About IIT Kanpur:

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur was established on 2nd November 1959 by an Act of Parliament. The institute has a sprawling campus spread over 1055 acres with large pool of academic and research resources spanning across 19 departments, 22 centres, and 3 Interdisciplinary programs in engineering, science, design, humanities, and management disciplines with more than 480 full-time faculty members and approximately 9000 students. In addition to formal undergraduate and postgraduate courses, the institute has been active in research and development in areas of value to both industry and government.

For more information, visit https://www.iitk.ac.in.