CHENNAI: Seruppadai leaves, scientifically known as Coldenia Procumbens, which is traditionally used in many rural parts of the state for treating rheumatic swelling, has anti-cancer properties that can prove effective in treating liver cancer, reveals a study conducted by researchers from University of Madras and TN Open University.
Seruppadai is a medicinal plant in the state and is used in different rural belts for treating various ailments. With an aim to find concrete evidence of its medicinal properties, a group of researchers took up the project in 2018.
Samples of Seruppadai plants were collected from dry rice fields of Otteripalayam in Villupuram district. The plant herbarium specimen, which means dried leaves sample, was prepared and authenticated by plant taxonomist late professor J Jayaraman of Plant Anatomical Research Institute, Tambaram.
The samples were put through various analyses, DNA fragmentation and in-vitro anti-cancer activity. The researchers found that the leaves have strong anti-cancer agents which can be effective in treating liver cancer.
The finding has been published in journal ‘Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology’. The team of researchers who carried out the study include Banupriya Ravichandran, S Elumalai, Saravanan Govindasamy Kuppusamy and Parthasarathi Perumal.