Pachaiyappa’s college,
Chennai- 600 030, Tamilnadu, India
Biography
Dr. L. Veerakumari, completed her M.Sc Zoology in Holy cross college, Trichy in 1979 , M.Phil University of Madras in 1980 and Ph.D University of Madras in 1997.
She has 36 years of teaching and research experience. She has guided 45 M.Sc, 30 M.Phil and 12 Ph.D research scholars in the field of veterinary Parasitology and vermitechnology and currently 3 Ph.D scholars are working under her guidance. She has completed six projects funded by UGC, TNSCST & DST. She has presented 176 research papers and delivered 26 lectures in various national and international conferences. She has published 65 Papers in peer reviewed journals and submitted 22 Sequences to Genbank. She authored two books which are used as text books in many colleges and Universities and written a chapter “Botanical anthelmintics” in a book entitled Integrated farm management. She received 25 best paper awards for the research papers presented in various national and international conferences. She has developed a new technique to quantitatively measure the motility of microscopic larval and adult parasites in the project funded by DST.
She received the prestigious M.S.Krishnamoorthy award from Indian association of Biomedical Scientists for the development of new technique in the field of toxicology and pharmacology in the year 2006. This innovation had been included in the annual report for the year 2006, published by DST and patented.
She has screened more than hundred plants for their anthelmintic efficacy. Her research field of interest includes Veterinary Parasitology, Herbal medicine, Vermitechnology and in silico drug designing.
She is the recipient of many prestigious Awards and Prizes viz. Gold Medal Dr. M. S. Krishnamoorty award MABMS and FABMS Title, Best researcher award for the year 2008, Inducted into the American order of Scientific and technical merit for outstanding accomplishments in science and technology and professional excellence as recognized by the American Biographical institute, North Carolina, Bharat Jothi Award 2011 for outstanding contribution in Research, Best thesis (Ph.D) Award 2011 for the Research scholar guided by her, SHREE S.M. ISMAIL ORATION AWARD for the year 2013, Inducted in Marquis World’s Whos Who 2013, Science Communicator for Indian Science Congress, 2013 and best teacher award for the year 2013.
Title of the Speech
“Botanical anthelmintic Drug discovery”
Abstract
Livestock play an important role in the agrarian economy of most developing countries. Infections with helminths are the most important cause for productivity losses in livestock worldwide. Paramphistomosis and haemonchosis are major parasitic diseases of domestic ruminants. Acute paramphistomosis and haemonchosis result in high morbidity and mortality. Prevalence of this parasitic infection has been recorded worldwide. Combined formulation of synthetic anthelmintics is being used to treat paramphistomosis and haemochosis for the past two decades.
The synthetic drugs are associated with certain limitations such as, non-availability, cost, risk, drug-resistance, environmental pollution and residues. Hence, the need of antiparasitic agents like plant anthelmintics that would be economical, easily available and eco-friendly is greatly required. Proper establishment of phytotherapeutic drugs, require a thorough study on the identification and isolation of the active constituents or principles from plants. Elucidation of primary mode of action of a drug requires a systematic study of its effects on the various metabolic processes of a parasite at lowest concentration that stop its growth, kills it or lead to expulsion from the host. Only when such a study is complete it can be concluded confidently that a particular pathway of reaction is more sensitive to a drug, and is therefore, the primary target of the drug.
Anthelmintic plants offer a traditional alternative to chemotherapeutic drugs. The input of traditional veterinary medicine would mainly concern the identification and collection of the plants, their preparation and knowledge of the active components or principles with anthelmintic properties. Studies on the effect of the phytotherapeutic compounds on the morphology, anatomy, metabolism, osmoregulation and on the detoxication mechanism of the parasite disclose the mode of action of the compounds. More than hundred plants have been screened. In vitro, toxicity, in silico and in vivo studies were carried out to identify potential botanical anthelmintic drugs. Awareness among the farmers to use potential plant extracts were created. The progress in the livestock sector will in turn result in more balanced development of rural economy and improve the economic status of poor people associated with this sector.