India foils UK firms’s bid to patent use of turmeric, pine bark and tea for treating hair loss

An attempt by Colgate-Palmolive Co to patent a mouthwash formula made from Indian herbs was also foiled by CSIR-TKDL unit recently

India has been successful in protecting its traditional knowledge by preventing an attempt made by Europe’s Leading Dermaceutical Laboratory-Pangaea Laboratories, to take patent on a medicinal composition containing turmeric, pine bark and green tea for treating hair loss.

Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL), a unit of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), located the patent application filed at European Patent office by Pangaea Laboratories and filed pre-grant opposition along with prior-art evidences from TKDL, proving that turmeric, pine bark and green tea, are being used as a treatment for hair loss, since long in Indian systems of medicine like Ayurveda and Unani. A PIB release stated that the UK-based company had filed the patent application at European Patent office in February, 2011. CSIR-TKDL Unit had filed evidences from TKDL on January 13, 2014 after the patent application got published on website, pursuant to which the patent application is finally deemed to be withdrawn by the applicant on June 29, 2015.

Recently, CSIR-TKDL Unit has foiled an attempt of Colgate – Palmolive Company to patent a mouthwash formula containing herb (Nutmeg- Jayaphal) extract used in Indian traditional systems of medicine to cure oral diseases, at European Patent office.

CSIR-TKDL, headed by Dr Archana Sharma, submitted proof in the form of references from ancient books in this case, which said the herb and its extracts of Myristica Fragrans were historically used for oral diseases in Indian systems of medicine.

 http://www.financialexpress.com/article/pharma/market-pharma/india-foils-uk-firmss-bid-to-patent-use-of-turmeric-pine-bark-and-tea-for-treating-hair-loss/122806/