Graphical representation of the toxic plants and phytochemical constituents. (Image Courtesy: Union Ministry of Science & Technology via PIB Delhi)
New Delhi, June 19 (MExN): In what has been described as a “paradoxical truth” by the Union Ministry of Science & Technology, a new study by researchers at the Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology (IASST), Guwahati has revealed that some of nature’s most toxic plants could be ‘hidden healers,’
“Some of nature’s most poisonous plants are also among its most powerful healers,” the Ministry stated in an official release issued via the Press Information Bureau (PIB), adding that the finding could potentially change the future of medicine.
IASST, an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), conducted a comprehensive investigation into various poisonous plant species and their phytochemical constituents, the compounds responsible for their effects on living organisms.
The research team, led by IASST Director Prof Ashis K Mukherjee and Senior Research Fellow, Bhagya Lakhmi Rajbongshi reviewed existing literature and identified 70 poisonous plant species that have been traditionally used to treat a wide range of illnesses, including fevers, colds, skin diseases, and oedema.
These plants, the statement noted, are already utilised in homeopathy and traditional Indian medicine.
The researchers highlighted that plants naturally produce phytochemicals as a means of survival. While some of these compounds are toxic, others, when properly isolated and modified, hold significant potential for medicinal use, it said.
According to the Ministry, modern pharmacology is beginning to recognise the therapeutic potential of these phytochemicals and they can be transformed into potent therapeutic agents with careful scientific.
The study, titled “Drugs from poisonous plants: Ethnopharmacological relevance to modern perspectives,” was published in Elsevier’s journal Toxicon: X in March 2025.
It explored how natural toxins can be scientifically studied, validated, and potentially developed into life-saving drugs.
The findings draw heavily on ethnopharmacology, the study of how indigenous cultures use plants for healing, the Ministry held. From treating snakebites to managing jaundice, many traditional remedies are now being re-evaluated through the lens of modern science.
The implications, it noted, are far-reaching, particularly in the search for novel treatments for diseases that still lack effective cures.
The researchers emphasised that before clinical application, all such compounds must undergo rigorous scientific validation, and their toxicity must be carefully assessed to ensure safety, it added.
“The journey from folk remedy to FDA-approved medicine is long,” the Ministry stated, “but with studies like this, the first steps are being taken.”
