BARIPADA: Research conducted by the department of Biotechnology of Maharaja Sriram Chandra Bhanjadeo (MSCB) University in Baripada has found important anti-cancer compounds in lichens growing in the Similipal National Park.
Not only that, the current study also found compounds with anti-oxidant and anti-microbial properties in the lichens.
So far, 148 species of lichens have been identified from Similipal National Park, the first such achievement in the state.
The research on lichens is being carried out by the university with support from the Odisha government’s Science and Technology department. The Lucknow-based National Botanical Research Institute is also assisting the university’s Biotechnology department.
Lichens grow under harsh conditions in Similipal, enduring high temperatures, heavy rainfall and dry periods. In the process, they produce protective chemical substances - known as bioactive compounds - which later prove useful to humans as medicines.
According to Professor Biswajit Rath of department of Biotechnology, the research work was to study bioactive properties of lichens apart from isolating the organisms. “We have already identified 148 species of lichens and collected 50 more which are in different stages of identification,” he informed.
The lichen species found in Similipal forest possess antimicrobial properties and have potential use in the treatment of various infectious diseases. Prof Rath said the research also revealed that some lichens have anti-cancer properties which could open new vistas in cancer treatment in the future. These lichens also contain antioxidant properties.
The lichen species ‘Physciella Melanchra’ was recorded for the first time in India from Similipal, while ‘Cladonia Fruticulosa’ was found in Odisha for the first time. All collected lichen samples have been preserved in the lichen repository of the Biotechnology department of MSCB University.
The bioactive chemical compounds present in the lichens are being identified and their activities analysed, Prof Rath said. “Similipal National Park is famous for its wildlife and forests but lichens have added a new chapter to its identity. This discovery could establish Similipal as an important centre for future pharmaceutical research,” he added.
Lichen is a unique organism formed through a symbiotic relationship between fungi and algae and naturally grows on rocks, tree bark, hills and soil.
Lichens are extremely sensitive to environmental pollution which is why they are considered pollution markers. When the environment is clean and balanced, lichens grow abundantly.