Bengaluru-Based Pharma Introduces Pill That Increases Platelet Count In Patients

The pharmaceutical firm Micro Labs Ltd that is based in Bengaluru has launched a pill that is said to increase the blood platelet counts in patients.

Blood platelet counts that is essential for clotting of blood is often lower in cancer and AID patients. But in India, it is more commonly seen in the case of Dengue. Low platelet counts can lead to bleeding and death.

Caripill, the medicine launched by the company is made with the extract from Papaya leaves and has obtain certification from Ayush, the ministry for Ayurvedic and other traditional medicines.

"Caripill in its clinical trials has demonstrated positive results with a dramatic decrease in the haemorrhage condition, besides, none of the patients had to undergo blood transfusion so far," said Dr. A.C. Gowda, Fortis Hospital, Bengaluru and principal investigator, clinical trial for Caripill.

In India, the number of dengue cases have been on the rise among all age groups of people, especially those with low immunity who react strongly to the virus that is primarily transmitted through mosquitoes. The virus causes severe eye pain, body ache, joint pain, high fever, exhaustion and a dramatic reduction in platelet count in those affected. So far, 19,704 cases have been reported nationally.

"Treatment for dengue is mostly symptomatic and there is no drug readily available and cheap-drug that boosts platelet levels," said Vineet Kalia, the company's executive vice president for strategy and business development.

All treatment of dengue and other viral fevers like it were symptomatic, which means that doctors treated their patients for fever, or dehydration, if they showed those symptoms. However, according to Mohan Srihari, a diabetologist, there is no treatment to increase platelet count. "The only option is to transfuse platelets," he said.

Source: Medindia