A team of Himachal Pradesh based Shoolini University’s School of Pharmaceutical Sciences has been able to develop an oral formulation, made out of bark of pine trees, for post-menopausal osteoporosis in women.
The research, conducted by a team headed by Dr Rohit Goyal, Dr Aditi Sharma and co-workers, evaluated three Himalayan Pine species for treatment of osteoporosis under a project from Department of Science and Technology.
The group of researchers had been working on associated bone loss in women, particularly during the post menopause period, and how the bark of various species of pines from the Himalayas may hold the cure with herbal tablets. They have now been able to develop an oral formulation after studying the role of relevant proteins. Their study was recently been published in reputed journals.
Speaking about the origin of idea to make use of the bark of pine trees, Dr Goyal said he learnt of a traditional treatment for weak bones using pine bark in certain areas of upper Shimla region. The villagers had been using powder made out of the pine bark for oral treatment as well as using it as a kind of plaster.
He expressed the hope that the formulation of a herbal treatment would go a long way in the treatment of osteoporosis and pointed out that very limited medication was currently available for treatment of osteoporosis. He said the team would now look for clinical trials in association with other institutions and hospitals.
Congratulating the researchers for the discovery, Vice Chancellor Prof P K Khosla said osteoporosis is a world wide problem and particularly afflicts women as they grow older. He said the breakthrough research would offer a cheap and effective treatment with no side effects.
