Indfrag Limited, a leading herbal extracts maker, is working with Pronatura International, a global NGO, to commence a clinical trial for AIDS with Lucerne (Alfalfa) or Leaf Protein Concentrate in India. This is part of the recent initiative under Lucerne Project-India coordinated by France-based Pronatura and APEF, a technical advisor on Alfalfa.
In a study conducted in Africa, LPC in powder form has proved to be beneficial for AIDS patients. The study proved that the patients who underwent the clinical trial with the powder increased their body weight, improved hemoglobin levels and also indicated improvement in the technical markers which are critical parameters to assess the recovery in AIDS cases. The progress of AIDS is measured with six or seven markers and the administration of Lucerne in powder form improved the health of the patients.
Currently, the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive affects 3.7 million in the country. Indfrag will now help identify the hospitals for the conduct of the trial as Pronatura International is keen to conduct the study in India. The details are being worked out, Philip Samuel, chairman and managing director, Indfrag told Pharmabiz.
Although Lucerne Project in India started in 1965 at Coimbatore, Aurangabad and Jaipur where scientists conducted substantial research on the LTC sponsored by foreign grants and Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), somehow the benefits of the project were not capitalized. Now a group of French technologists and philanthropists are interested to ensuring the benefits of Lucerne for India, stated the Indfrag chief.
In this connection, Indfrag will now work closely with the NGOs to maximize the use of Lucrene which is now cultivated sparsely in the country. The herbal major and the NGOs are on an educational drive to promote the use of LTC. As a first step the Government of Tamil Nadu has come forward to provide land to cultivate Lucerne on a large scale. The farmers growing Lucerne have a triple benefit of good crop, remuneration and increased land fertility as its cultivation helps to improve the nitrogen content of the soil. Cattle feed produced by the plant will increase the health and milk production of cattle. In a three-year study conducted by ICAR, LTC which is the second stream from the plant has proved to improve the health of malnourished women and children.
The benefits of the project for India will be that it will increase the milk production in cattle from the present 10 per cent to 30 per cent and improves the malnutrition condition which is posing to be a huge challenge.
Under Project Lucerne, Indfrag is going ahead to cultivate Alfalfa on 100 acres and will set up medium sized plant within the Indfrag premises at Hosur for extraction of the leaf protein concentrate. Pronatura will sell the concentrates and fodder. Talks are on with Akshaya Patra Foundation of ISKON among others for LTC to be included in the daily diets of children.