As awareness about the adverse effects of antibiotics and chemicals on animal health and the environment grows, there is a need for natural and sustainable alternatives. Phytotherapy, or using plant-based medicines, has emerged as a promising solution, particularly in animal nutrition and health. With cutting-edge computer technology like Computer-Aided Phytotherapy (aCAP), researchers can more efficiently and effectively explore the diverse phytobiome of the Himalayas and beyond to develop safer and more natural alternatives for animal care.
Founder/CSO
Daskdan Innovations
The excessive use of antibiotics and chemicals in livestock, which humans eventually consume, has given rise to superbugs, posing a severe threat to public health. In a report called “Brace for Superbugs,” which was put out by the United Nations Environment Programme, it was repeated that by 2050, antibiotic resistance could kill as many people each year as cancer. Addressing this looming crisis by ending antibiotic and chemical abuse and promoting sustainable alternatives to keep animals healthy and productive is imperative. In this context, phytotherapy has emerged as a promising alternative to antimicrobial use in the livestock industry in recent years.
There has been a resurgence of interest in combining traditional phytotherapies with cutting-edge, evidence-based solutions to complement conventional therapy better. The worldwide output of research on plant-based medicines is a clear indicator of this trend. More than 30,000 research publications in phytomedicine were published in 2021 alone. Scientists have made significant strides towards merging phytotherapy and conventional medicine in studying human health. The animal industry, however, needs to make parallel efforts. Natural alternatives to antibiotics and chemicals used on food-producing animals are being sought. Phytotherapy is a substantial step towards addressing worries about using antibiotics/chemicals and fostering more sustainable animal agricultural practices. Research into the medicinal benefits of plants is a vital part of this process. Investigating the possible gains from incorporating phytotherapy into animal health management and bolstering research in this area is crucial.
The Himalayan region is home to various medicinal herbs and plants. This rich source of phytotherapy could prove to be a goldmine for animal nutraceuticals. By tapping into the natural properties of Himalayan herbs, researchers can find alternative solutions to using antibiotics and chemicals in food-producing animals. With over 1,200 medicinal plants out of an estimated 25,000 plant species, the Himalayas are a great place to do research and development in this area. Efforts to identify natural alternatives to drugs and chemicals for food-producing animals could lead to discoveries and innovations in animal nutrition and health.
The development of drugs using rational drug design methods, which involve the use of computers, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML), has become a standard practice in the pharmaceutical industry for humans. However, a similar approach that can fully exploit the potential of different phytobiomes is necessary to meet the needs of animals. To this end, a rationalised approach to phytotherapy (RP) is required. With RP, scientists can quickly sort through the phytobiome to identify promising plants that can help animals in specific ways. This method will significantly reduce the time and cost required to develop phytotherapy products with immune-modulating, immune-stimulating, growth-promoting, antibacterial, and parasite-killing effects. By replacing chemical feed additives, particularly antibiotics, with plant-based alternatives, RP can help minimise the overuse of antimicrobials in animal agriculture. Integrating computer-based technologies with phytotherapy is crucial to improving the search for new plant-based chemicals for animal care. This approach can aid in finding safer alternatives to synthetic pharmaceuticals and chemicals, benefiting both animal and human health. A rationalised approach to phytotherapy is thus essential in bridging the gap between human and animal health while promoting natural and sustainable alternatives in animal agriculture.
Computer-Aided phytotherapy (aCAP) is a cutting-edge AI/ML integrated technology developed by Daskdan Innovations. It is the first time RP has been used to look into the potential of the phytobiome as a source of plant-based medicines and dietary supplements for animal health. aCAP is equipped with animal-specific disease and target identification modules and an extensive library of phytocompounds to identify the most promising plant-based solutions for promoting sustainable animal health. One of the critical challenges in developing plant-based solutions is the anti-nutritional activity (ANA) associated with the active constituents. ANA can adversely affect the feed conversion ratio (FCR), animal health, and growth. To address this issue, aCAP has a module that checks the ANA activity of the most promising plant-based solutions and selects only those with little or no ANA activity. The data generated from the module is used to train the AI program to enable chemoinformatics-guided engineering of feed enzymes in the future. By integrating this module, aCAP can provide a more efficient and effective way to develop plant-based solutions for sustainable animal health, allowing for safer and healthier alternatives to chemical-based additives.
By utilising the Himalayan phytobiome and continuously exploring diverse plant sources for animal health, technologies such as aCAP can potentially revolutionise the field of animal nutrition and health, benefiting farmers, consumers, and the environment. With computer technologies, researchers can identify the most promising phytomolecules for treating various animal health issues. By adjusting the active ingredients and dosages, scientists can create tailored therapeutics with greater effectiveness and fewer side effects. By adopting a more systematic approach to phytotherapy, we can develop plant-based medicines and nutraceuticals for animals that are safer and more efficient than their synthetic counterparts, reducing the reliance on antibiotics and other chemicals in animal feed and thereby mitigating the environmental impact of animal agriculture.
About Naveed A. Chikan
Naveed A. Chikan is a cancer biologist turned entrepreneur and the founder/CSO of Daskdan Innovations, a pioneering animal health start-up in Srinagar, Kashmir, India. With a mission to introduce plant-based alternatives to antibiotics/chemicals for food-producing animal farmers, Naveed at Daskdan has secured a $100k grant for his proof-of-concept development. His prior experience includes working in rational drug discovery for cancer biology.
