Herbs for Diabetes and Neurological Disease Management

Vikas Kumar, PhD, is currently working in research and product development at the National Center for Natural Products Research (NCNPR), School of Pharmacy, at the University of Mississippi. He was formerly an Innovation Specialist at DD Innovations, Inc., Edina, Minnesota, USA, and Associate Professor of Pharmacology at the Neuropharmacology Research Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutics, at the Indian Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University) in Uttar Pradesh, India. He has published more than 150 papers in peer-reviewed journals as well as four books and eight book chapters. He has visited Canada, Germany, France, China, Nepal, Thailand, Singapore, South Africa, Italy and UAE to enhance his professional experience at various capacities. He is life member of several professional associations and serves as a member of editorial boards of many peer-reviewed international journals. He previously worked successfully and productively in the pharmaceutical industries viz. Lupin Research Park, Pune, and Indian Herbs Research & Supply Co. Ltd., Saharanpur, India. Based on his research findings, Indian Herbs Ltd. successfully launched a product viz. MoodOn® (as a herbal antidepressant and mood enhancer) into the Indian market in collaboration with Bergen Healthcare, a division of Alkem Laboratories Ltd., Mumbai. Currently, MoodOn® is sold under trade name EnMood® (http://www.indianherbs.org/mEnMood.htm). He also has scientific collaborations with Dr. Willmar Schwabe GmbH & Co. KG, Germany. Dr. Kumar has received Sami Khatib Gold Medal for being a topper in B.Pharm. and Servier Young Investigators’ Award instituted by Institutet de Researches Internationales Servier, France. He is also recipient of the coveted institutional and globally reputed Rashtriya Gaurav Award in 2011 for his achievements in the field of science and technology. Dr. Kumar has obtained his PhD degree from IIT (BHU), Varanasi in 2001 after completing MPharm and BPharm from Gulbarga University in 1997 and 1995 respectively. Addepalli Veeranjaneyulu, PhD, is presently serving as Associate Dean and Senior Professor and Head of Pharmacology at SPP, the School of Pharmacy and Technology Management (SPTM), NMIMS, Mumbai, India. He was formerly a Visiting Scientist/Professor at the International Institute of Medical Sciences in China (from 2006-07) under the auspices of Canadian Heart Foundations. Dr. Addepalli has 16 years of industrial new drug discovery research experience, with over six years as Assistant Director (Pharmacology and Quality Assurance) at NCER, at Lupin Research Park, Pune, India, and over ten years as Research Executive (Pharmacology and Pharmacokinetics) in IDPL R&D, Hyderabad, India. He has 18 years of teaching experience. His research interests are cardiovascular dysfunction and other complications in diabetes; receptor pharmacology; serotonergic receptors; and modulatory roles in migraine, psychosis, and other CNS disorders. He was the Principal Investigator for several projects funded by CSIR, UGC, AICTE, and pharma industrial/academia collaborative projects funded by various pharma companies. He is a member of several national and international professional bodies and is an editorial board member and reviewer for several journals journals. Dr. Addepalli has over 180 research publications in national and international journals with three industrial patents to his credit. He also presented papers at international and national conferences and seminars and also chaired scientific sessions.

Role of St.-John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum L.) in the Management of Diabetes and Neurological Disorders. A Potential Natural Product Combination Targeting Memory Disorders. Phytotherapeutic Agents in Epilepsy. Herbal Medicines in Neuropsychiatric Illness: The Case of L-Stepholidine. Potential of Curcuma longa and Withania somnifera for Diabetes and Associated Neurological Comorbidities. Migraine: Management and Treatment with Herbal Drugs. Complications of Diabetes and Role of a Citrus Flavonoid Nobiletin in Its Treatment. Diabetes and Phytopharmaceuticals: Translational Pharmacology Perspective. Natural Products as Effective Treatment Option for Depression. Medicinal Plants Research.