Bye bye to pain and swelling! Kerala University develops new plant-based medicine

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala University researchers have developed a medicine derived from a native plant to counter swelling (oedema) and pain in various parts of the body. The formulation was created without chemical additives, using only plant material in the initial research phase. For commercial production and further research collaboration, the University’s Department of Botany had earlier signed an MoU with Oushadhi, the State-run public sector pharmaceutical company.

According to the researchers, the medicine—developed from a medicinal plant—is intended to help resist inflammation and the resulting pain. Because long-term use of steroid-based medicines can cause side effects, the team explored a safer option from a plant commonly found in the Western Ghats. The research focused on karivilanchi, known scientifically as Smilax wightii, a plant abundant in rural areas. The team extracted phytochemicals from its root and formulated the medicine as an oil and a gel, named SmiGel.

The research was carried out by Professor Dr T S Swapna and researcher Aathira V Anand of the University’s Department of Botany. After confirming the medicine’s effectiveness on artificial cell cultures in the laboratory, further testing was conducted on rabbits and rats in ointment form.

Swelling is often an early indication of various physical disorders. Typically, oedema forms when the body sustains an injury. The impact activates the enzymes lipoxygenase (LOX) and cyclooxygenase (COX), which lead to pain and other physical discomforts. According to the researchers, the karivilanchi root extract neutralises these enzymes.

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