CMFRI to launch marine nutraceutical product to treat thyroid disorders

According to Dr A Gopalakrishnan, Director, CMFRI, the product will be commercialised soon after the successful completion of the clinical experiment

A natural product from the sea will be launched soon to treat thyroid disorders, a Central government institute said in Kochi. Kochi-based Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) said the marine nutraceutical product developed by the Institute for thyroid dysfunction, is in the final stage of clinical trial.

“The product will be commercialised soon after the successful completion of the clinical experiment”, Dr A Gopalakrishnan, Director, CMFRI said. In addition, CMFRI would develop more such natural products, including cosmeceuticals from marine organisms, he said while speaking at the valedictory of the three-week long Winter School held by CMFRI to train young researchers in extracting medicines from the marine organisms. “The CMFRI will seek the possibilities of interaction with the industry to commercialise the natural marine products developed from the laboratories of the Institute”, Gopalakrishnan said.

CMFRI has already developed nutraceutical products for diabetes, arthritis and cholesterol from marine organisms such as seaweeds and green mussel. Gopalakrishnan said high-value bio active metabolites from marine organisms are attracting attention because of growing demand for new compounds of ‘marine natural’ origin, having potential applications in the pharmaceutical field.

“The functional foods, enriched with natural ingredients have been proved providing beneficial action for human health,” he said. The scientist claimed CMFRI is the pioneering marine research institute in India to work in the frontier area of bio active molecule discovery from marine organisms as promising therapeutic agents against various diseases.

“The four nutraceutical products developed by CMFRI in the past has a huge demand in the health care market,” Gopalakrishnan said. The 21-day long Winter School was conducted by the Marine Biotechnology Division of CMFRI to train 23 scientists and teachers in the area from across the country on recent advances in bio active compounds, from marine organisms and developing high-value products for better health management.