Scientists’ Belief
Scientists, at Tuberculosis Research Centre (TRC), Chennai, teamed with local fishermen, were searching since 2008 from the sea and the deserts on the shore to explore some chemical mixtures that could be mixed in the tuberculosis drugs to fight it off. At last, after collecting 55 samples of coral sea-soil, they declared that they have got something useful from one sample of coral reef off-shore at Rameswaram, on Wednesday, 15th May 2011. They succeeded in exploring Transitmycin, a new antibiotic, from a sample of under-sea soil, which can be used to fight better with HIV and TB than the drugs mostly being used.
Scientists’ Hunt
Scientists searched for the new antibiotic in these remote areas of under the sea and deserts with a view that the life existing there may better fight out the disease of human organs than the human connected lives. According to Head of the Department of bacteriology, TRC, Dr. Vanaja Kumar, they were surprised to see the compound, isolated from the soil, changing its color to yellow, sign to confirm it as antibiotic, in the petri-plate. They said that apart from celebrating the exploration, there is much to do to let the drug available the tuberculosis patients.
Developing the Drug
The project of developing the tuberculosis drug from the new compound may cost around Rs. 300 crores whereas Rs. 25 Lakh had been spent so far. The exploration team said, in their 64 paged report, to ICMR to finance the trial of drug on human and animals. Dr. Kumar hoped to succeed in their holy grail though it may take 10 more years to be available in the market.
Laboratory Trials And Tests
The head of microbiology, Periyar University told that it had been revealed by the laboratory trials and test that the compound explored was able to face all types of fungus, TB and some of HIV forms even with smaller doses than older drugs. Department of Science and Technology, IIT Madras, Periyar University and Sri Shankara Art and Science College had collaborated in the project to recognize the probable TB drug from under-sea soil.
Utility of New Antibiotic
The traditional drugs of TB had been continuing since 50 years, without any new exploration, to fight the disease caused by the mycobacterium bacteria with a medicinal schedule of six months, told Director-in-charge, TRC, and Dr. Aleyamma Thomas. According to them the new antibiotic, Transitmycin, reacts with the inactive store of infection, bacilli, to destroy TB and some of the HIV bacteria’s.