Kochi: The ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) has developed a nutraceutical product from seaweeds to combat non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The product, named CadalminTM LivCure extract, will hit the market soon. It is patent-protected.
The CMFRI has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with M/S. Emineotech, a private limited company dealing with health products, for commercial production and marketing of the product. Dr A Gopalakrishnan, director, CMFRI, signed a license agreement with Evanjalist Pathrose, managing director, Emineotech.
A unique blend of 100 per cent natural bioactive ingredients extracted from select seaweeds, the product is made of an eco-friendly green technology to improve liver health, and is the 9th nutraceutical developed by the CMFRI, the institute said in a press statement.
CMFRI has already commercialised nutraceuticals to combat lifestyle diseases such as type-2 diabetes, arthritis, cholesterol, hypertension, hypothyroidism and osteoporosis besides an immunity booster.
“We have been receiving an overwhelming response from the public ever since the CMFRI developed the CadalminTM LivCure extract, which shows increasing demand for natural remedies against lifestyle diseases”, Dr Gopalakrishnan said.
“Commercialisation of the product will be greatly beneficial to a large number of people suffering from non-alcoholic fatty liver disease as it helps improve liver health, reduce disposition of fatty substance and maintain other liver/lipid parameters within the clinically acceptable limits”, he said.
“Realising the high pharmaceutical and medicinal potential of seaweeds, CMFRI launched efforts to the large-scale farming of the seaweeds across the coastal states of the country”, Dr Gopalakrishnan added.
Dr Kajal Chakraborty, principal scientist at the Marine Biotechnology, Fish Nutrition and Health Division of the CMFRI led the research works to develop the product.
The product will hit the market within four months and will be made available on Amazon, Flipkart and other leading e-commerce platforms for online sale, apart from physical market networks across the country, said Emineotech managing director Evanjalist Pathrose.
He said the company will introduce initiatives for creating community awareness of the potential risk of non-symptomatic fatty liver disease and the benefits of natural cures, including lifestyle changes.
