India, Nov. 26 -- In lab testing, the identified compound has proven to be a low-dose, low-cost alternative to chemotherapy that selectively kills colon cancer cells while leaving healthy cells unharmed

Researchers at National Institute of Technology Rourkela (NIT Rourkela) have identified a natural compound found in long pepper (pippali/thippili/maghaun) as an effective and cost-efficient agent against colon cancer cells. Colon cancer is a disease in which the cells grow uncontrollably in the large intestine of the body, forming tumours.

The findings of this research have been published in the prestigious journal BioFactors, in a paper co-authored by Prof Bijesh Kumar Biswal, Associate Professor, Department of Life Science, along with ...