DRDO herbal cure for Siachen soldiers soon

LEH: DRDO's field research laboratory (FRL) — likely to be renamed as high-altitude logistical laboratory (HALL) — is working to create a wonder herbal drug that would help reduce stress. It is also testing a herbal beverage that would increase appetite. Twin formulations — likely to be ready for commercial use within one year — would take care of the two major challenges that soldiers at high altitude face.

“Soldiers at high altitude are suffering from lack of appetite that translates into stress and weight loss,” FRL director Shashi Balla Singh told ET. “At present, these drugs are undergoing clinical trials and would be available within a year or so.”

FRL deputy-director OP Chaurasia, the man working on the drugs, said the anti-stress herbal beverage had been developed from a vital high-altitude plant Rhodiola. “We have seen that it reduces tension and stress, but would be used only after clinical trials are over,” he said.

The appetite-increasing beverage has been developed from a variety of high-altitude medicinal plants. “We have taken advice from Amchis’ (Leh’s traditional medical practitioners). It helps increase appetite,” Mr Singh said.

The new formulations, especially that fight stress, would help soldiers tackle their new enemy that manifests itself through frequent suicides and incidents of fragging even in plains where soldiers are deployed for counter-insurgency operations. Army is already using FRL-formulated seabuckthorn juice as a part of its high-altitude special ration.