Saturday 20 April 2013



Now, patent for dengue fighter Nilavembu Kudineer

Pramila Krishnan

CHENNAI, APRIL 20: Research is on at the King’s Institute to test out the ‘Nilavembu Kudineer’, which treated hundreds of people suffering from dengue fever in Tamil Nadu, as an effective, traditional anti-
viral medicine. Meanwhile, as the preliminary research results are positive, the government has
decided to get a patent for the dengue fighter, Nilavembu Kudineer. State-owned TAMPCOL
has already sold 47,000 kg of Nilavembu powder so far to government hospitals and through its
counters in sachets.

According to the union health ministry, Tamil Nadu recorded more than 5,000 dengue cases,
the highest in the country, in 2012, with over 30 deaths. When the state was plagued by dengue,
siddha doctors suggested Nilavembu Kudineer for cure. Several allopathic doctors also asked
their patients to have Nilavembu Kudineer when they did not show any improvement after
consuming ‘English’ medicines.

Health secretary J. Radhakrishnan told me that Nilavembu Kudineer played a big role in
controlling the dengue outbreak. “The government came out with ads promoting Nilavembu
Kudineer as patients showed significant improvement. Now, we want to patent the medicine,” he
said.

Dr M. Mohamed Musthafa, head of Sirappu Maruthuvam in the government siddha medical
college, said, “There is a misconception that siddha doctors would use metals in preparing
medicines. We do not give hard metals as medicines. We derive metals even from flowers
and roots of plants. Nilavembu Kudineer is a mixture of nine herbs including sandalwood and
vettiver. It strengthens the immune system and controls fever.”

Dr Kanagasabai, dean of Madras medical college, said Nilavembu is still given to patients at
government general hospital. “There is no dengue death in Chennai in the last few months
because we take adequate care of the patients by supplying the traditional Nilavembu syrup,” he
said.