Societal Impact

of Department
of Biochemistry
1920-2020

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Contents

1. Developing resins from plants; Dr.

Srinivasiah
2. Identifying source of the Sandal Spike
disease; A.V.V. Iyengar
3. The use of insects to study the
importance of nutrients; M.
Sreenivasaya
4. fluorine in water - the cause of mottled
teeth – S.C Pillai
5. Wealth out of waste- Dr. S.N.Acharya
6. BC department, research and royalties
in 1943-44
7. Food for thought, Gruel for health – Dr.
S. S De. et.al,
8. Neurolathrysim due to consumption of
kesari dhal; P.S.Sarma
9. An indigenous recombinant Hepatitis B
vaccine; Dr. P.N. Rangarajan
10. Curcumin as an antimalarial drug; Dr.
G. Padmanabhan

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Developing resins from
plants; Dr. Srinivasiah
- Annual report 1921-22

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Sandalwood was one of the
most economically important
commodities in India. But the
sandalwood industry was
ravaged by the sandal spike
disease. The governments of
Coorg and Madras sanctioned
Rs. 32,000 to IISc to conduct
systematic studies into the
cause of the disease.
Eventually, the “tree-killer”
solution was developed to
manage this disease

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 Identifying source of the
destruction of sandal wood
trees; Mycoplasma as a
cause of sandal spike disease
- A.V.V. Iyengar

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Rice moth larvae
were used as model
systems. The image
shows the
difference between
worms fed with
Vitamin B1-free
diet and control diet. M. Sreenivasaya
Vitamin B1 was
required for the healthy growth
of the larvae

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The first example of the use of
insects to study the importance of
nutrients; M. Sreenivasaya

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In 1931, fluoride in drinking
water had been identified as
the cause of mottling of
teeth enamel, a
condition that
became known as
dental fluorosis. The
Researchers at the
Department worked
actively to
S. C. Pillai
develop methods
to remove
fluoride from water. The
image shows a publication
by S. C. Pillai on the
subject.

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 Identification of fluorine
contamination in water as
the cause of mottled human
teeth – S.C Pillai

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Wealth out of waste; Dr.
C.N. Acharya

Annual report 1943-44

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Research done in BC
department and the
royalties the Institute
received as a result of it in
1943-44.

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Food for thought, Gruel for
health;Dr. V. Subrahmanyan

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During the cooking of rice in water a
certain portion passes into solution and
that is usually rejected because it
interferes with the appearance, taste,
flavour, keeping quality and digestibility
of cooked rice. In some parts of the
country, extra quantity of water is added
and the liquid drained again to remove
the last traces of the gruel. This practice
is still being continued in spite of the
increasing amount of knowledge
regarding the attendant loss of vitamins,
proteins, minerals and other essential
food substances in the gruel.

A pudding can be made out of this gruel

which could serve as a wholesome meal
to school-going children. The children
receiving the pudding are under the
.observation of the health authorities.
Systematic records will soon be
available. The pudding has also been fed
to experimental animals and has been
found to have a useful supplementary
value.

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 Kesari dhal
(Lathyrus
sativus) was
grown and
consumed in
India during
famine
conditions.
The
consumption of this dhal was
associated with a neurological
disorder called neurolathyrism.
Research in the
Department
showed that the
condition was
caused by a toxin
present in these
pulses.

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Pinpointing the cause of neurolathrysim due to
consumption of kesari dhal; diaminopropionic acid
as a neurotoxin. P.S.Sarma

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This indigenous recombinant
Hepatitis B vaccine developed
in PN Rangarajan’s lab is now
being manufactured by at least
two companies in Hyderabad
and
millions of
children
are being
immunized
with this
vaccine
under the
Dr. P. N. Rangarajan
National
Immunization
Program of the Government of
India

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An indigenous recombinant
Hepatitis B vaccine from
Prof. PN Rangarajan’s lab

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Earlier studies
in this
laboratory have shown the potential of
artemisinin-curcumin
combination therapy in
experimental malaria. In a
parasite recrudescence model
in mice infected
with Plasmodium
berghei (ANKA), a single dose
of alpha,beta-arteether (ART)
with three oral doses of
curcumin prevented
recrudescence, providing Dr. G. Padmanabhan
almost 95% protection. The
parasites were completely
cleared in blood with ART-alone (AE)
or ART+curcumin (AC) treatments in
the short-term, although the clearance
was faster in the latter case involving
increased ROS generation.

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Demonstrating the potential
of turmeric in preventing
malaria; curcumin as an
antimalarial drug

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