With an aim to make the treatment of diabetes and leprosy affordable, the Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI) has developed low-cost collagen strips to treat chronic foot ulcers, a common disease among diabetes and leprosy patients. The strip would be equally helpful in healing chronic wounds of army jawans and road accident victims.
The collagen strips developed by Chennai-based CLRI, a research arm of Science and Technology ministry, would be available almost everywhere in the country in the next three months. It would cost just Rs 100, which was around one-tenth of the existing price.
It is worth mentioning that a 5cm x 5 cm collagen strip worth Rs 1,000 needs to be replaced frequently. But, according to senior scientist Balaraman Madhan, the CLRI-developed collagen strip could be replaced once in three days or in a week, bringing down the treatment burden significantly.
Madhan, who is the head of collagen development project which started four years ago, said since the number of diabetic patients was on the rise, <g data-gr-id="45">demand</g> of collagen-based materials will also increase in the near future. At that point of time, the CLRI-developed strips would come as a boon for such patients.
“The collagen-based materials developed at CLRI have 100 <g data-gr-id="34">per cent</g> efficacy to treat even most challenging wounds such as diabetic feet ulcers, trauma wounds, Army wounds, and many others. As per statistics, there are more than 16 <g data-gr-id="47">millions</g> diabetic patients in the country and out of them 25 per cent patients have the exposure to wounds which get into chronic stage,” <g data-gr-id="35">Madhan</g> said.
“The ulcers getting to chronic stage don’t heal and in many cases, it leads to amputation and as per the statistics, in every 2-3 seconds, one amputation takes place in the country,” said Madhan, adding that even Science and Technology Minister Harsh Vardhan has emphasised on making maximum use of science to develop new cost-effective technologies.
The collagens were being developed out of fish scales and animal waste. Fish scales were collected from food processing <g data-gr-id="42">units,</g> while animal waste was collected from <g data-gr-id="27">slaughter houses</g>.
The research institute has deployed attendants for collecting the waste materials. The collagen is the major insoluble fibrous protein in the <g data-gr-id="32">extra-cellular</g> matrix and in connective tissue, which is also used in cosmetic surgery and trauma wound healing aids.
- The CLRI developed a 5cm x 5 cm collagen strips would be available across the counter in next three months probably at just Rs 100, which is 10 times lesser than the existing price of strips available in open market
- The cheapest collagen strips are developed by CSIR-Central Leather Research Institute, which is based at Chennai
- The strips are used for treating chronic foot ulcers, which is a common disease among patients of diabetic and leprosy in the country
- Apart from these two major disease burdens, the strip is also equally effective in healing chronic wounds of army jawans that they get during gunbattles and road accident victims.