All about new plant species with potential anti-cancer properties found in Assam

Why in News?

A new species of plants has been found in Assam, India which can prove to be anticancer. In case this is proved, this would be a great breakthrough for India and the world where Cancer happens to be the second leading cause of deaths. 

Species details:

Name:

Ophiorrhiza recurvipetala

Location:

The species has been found in Haflong and Jatinga, in Dima Hasao district in Assam. 

Family:

Rubiaceae 

Published in:

Nordic Journal of Botany, March 2021

The discovery has been made by researchers of western Assam’s Bodoland University

Key Details:

1. Ophiorrhiza recurvipetala has been found at 675 metres above the mean sea level. 
2. It belongs to same family of plants that yield coffee
3. Recurvipetala is the name used for plants where the petals are curved back
4. Every member of this group has a secondary metabolite called Camptothecin used in colon cancer
5. In India, 47 species and nine varieties of Ophiorrhiza have been recorded 
6. Ophiorrhiza recurvipetala is a perennial herb with a maximum height of 60 cm 
7. It is branched and bears cream flowers
8. As per the world checklist of selected plant families, it is a species rich and taxonomically complicated genus. 
9. There are almost 318 varieties of this species worldwide.

What makes the species anti cancerous?

1. The plant consists of a secondary metabolite named Camptothecin.
2. It is used for the treatment of colon cancer, and it makes it the potential anticancer research drug. 

Colon Cancer:

This type of cancer affects the large intestine and is the third most deadly cancer in the world, the first two being breast and lung cancer respectively. 

It is a malignant tumor arising from the inner wall of the large intestine (colon) or rectum.

Common risk factors for colorectal cancer include increasing age, African-American race, a family history of colorectal cancer, colon polyps, and long-standing ulcerative colitis.

Diagnosis of colorectal cancer can be made by sigmoidoscopy or by colonoscopy with biopsy confirmation of cancerous tissue.

Challenges and Way Forward:

There is a possibility of growing Ophiorrhiza recurvipetala in the north east parts of India but the agrotechnology is quite unknown.

India would get the benefits of cheaper anticancer drugs but the research and development has to be done on greater levels. 

There are almost 1.93 million cancer (colon) cases around the world but India needs to progress on the development and production techniques to gain benefits of the presence of the drug. North eastern India also needs to be developed so that the benefits could be reaped. 

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