Herbal medicine takes spotlight at Lucknow startup conclave

Research institutions, startups, and policymakers highlighted efforts to move herbal formulations from laboratories to the marketplace, with traditional medicine developed through modern methods taking centre stage, at the recently concluded CSIR Startup Conclave in Lucknow.

The two-day conclave showcased the work of four Lucknow-based laboratories of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) — the National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI), the Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP), Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (IITR), and the Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI).

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Together, these institutes have developed 13 major herbal drugs, addressing lifestyle and chronic diseases. These include BGR-34 for managing diabetes, paclitaxel derived from the bark of the Arjuna tree for blood cancer, and Picroliv for fatty liver and liver cell degeneration.

Jointly developed by NBRI and CIMAP, the diabetes drug – BGR-34 uses six herbs — Daruharidra, Giloy, Vijaysar, Gudmar, Manjistha, and Methi.

According to an official document, BGR-34 is already recognized for its ability to regulate blood sugar and is now also being positioned as a
potential solution for long-term diabetes reversal, an area where global healthcare is now shifting focus.

“Worldwide, the narrative is moving beyond diabetes control to diabetes reversal,” said Sanchit Sharma, executive director of AIMIL
Pharmaceuticals, which is marketing the drug. “Formulations like BGR-34 represent the synergy of Ayurveda and modern science, and such models could become the foundation for a diabetes-free society in the years to come,” added Dr. Sharma.

The event was lauded by policy makers and the industry experts for showcasing the growing potential of India’s herbal medicine sector in both domestic and international markets. During his visit to the conclave, Union Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh said the initiative exemplifies the “lab to people” model of innovation.

He urged startups to leverage government-developed technologies and scale them to global markets where demand for natural and herbal remedies is surging.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who also visited the exhibition, encouraged researchers to accelerate the commercialisation of herbal solutions.