Kangra Tea
#GS3 #Science #Health
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is likely to replace hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) with anti-HIV drugs to improve immunity and possibly reduce viral replication, in the revised protocol.
- However, the chemicals in Kangra tea could also be effective in boosting immunity as they can block coronavirus activity better than anti-HIV drugs, said Dr Sanjay Kumar, Director, Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (IHBT), based in Palampur, Himachal Pradesh.
- Dr Kumar has revealed this fact during a webinar organized at IHBT on the occasion of the International Tea Day.
- Medicinal properties of tea for human health and the technologies developed and transferred by IHBT for combating COVID-19 disease.
- “Using computer-based models, the scientists screened 65 bioactive chemicals or polyphenols that could bind to a specific viral protein more efficiently than commercially available anti-HIV drugs approved for treating COVID-19 patients. These chemicals might block the activity of the viral protein that helps the virus to thrive inside human cells”
- IHBT, a constituent of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), has also produced and supplied the alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing tea extract and natural aromatic oils through its technology partners.
- The Institute has developed herbal soap with tea extract, natural saponins and without SLES (sodium laureth sulphate), SDS (sodium dodecyl sulphate) and mineral oil.
- This soap provides anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, cleansing and moisturizing benefits.
- The soap is being produced and marketed by two companies based in Himachal Pradesh.
