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The Corporate Research & Development center of Sami Labs Limited is located at Peenya in Bangalore. The R&D team is committed towards the development of quality herbal extracts, fine chemicals, specialty chemicals and cosmeceuticals through innovative research. To help achieve this, Sami R&D is manned by a team of 25 Senior Scientists and more than 75 scientists and chemists. The scientists are always focused and on the look out for new drugs development by both synthetic methods as well as isolation from botanical sources.
The research and development facilities of Sami Labs have full-fledged laboratories in the areas of Phytochemistry, Synthetic Organic Chemistry, Standardized Herbal Extracts, Tissue Culture, Nutraceuticals development, Organo-inorganic chemistry, Biotechnology, Supercritical Fluid extractions and Cosmeceuticals development. |
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Standardized Herbal Extracts |
This division does the isolation and development of standardized active ingredients from herbs for various therapeutic applications. They are also into providing custom requirements for the clients with regard to the physical nature (powders, liquids, soft extracts, etc.) and the percentage of actives desired, isolation and characterization of pure bioactive molecules not only for use as reference standards, but also for manufacture in kilogram scale. |
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Tissue Culture |
The focus here is mainly on micropropagation of elite clones of plants with significant bioactivity. It also works on selected rare plants for propagation, through tissue culture techniques in the laboratory. |
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The typical steps followed are: |
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- Isolation of high yielding varieties
- Rapid multiplication of selected plants through tissue culture technology
- Field trials of the multiplied varieties
- Supply the plant to contract farmers for large-scale cultivation
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Some of the plants that have been cultivated through tissue culture are Coleus forskohlii , Curcuma longa, Allium sativum, Olea europaea and Melissa officianalis . Techniques are being developed for secondary metabolite production through callous culture.
Enrichment of amino acids and essential minerals by a Hydroponic technique has also been successful and a few new innovations are being tried in this area. |
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Nutraceuticals development |
The herbal extracts that are manufactured at Sami Labs all have nutraceutical properties. A nutraceutical product is a food supplement that gives medicinal or health benefits unlike drugs which are used by sick people. Nutraceuticals are recommended for healthy people to protect themselves from environmental factors and age related discomforts. |
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Synthetic Organic Chemistry |
Nutraceuticals happens to be the thrust at Sami Labs. A nutraceutical product can be developed either through natural sources or it can be derived synthetically. Sami Labs has set up a strong synthetic chemistry division to research and fix optimum process conditions for commercial production with high value addition. |
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Sami R&D has expertise in multi-step synthesis and it extends from simple Friedel Crafts reactions to complex Asymmetric Synthesis. Sami has an excellent analytical testing facility which gives full support to the Synthetic Chemistry group.
A sub group within the synthetic division is the peptide synthesis team which has developed competitive cost effective processes for a few smaller peptides of 5 to 8 amino acids long.
This division currently works on:
- Development of drug and drug intermediates
- Development of selenium amino acids
- Development of steroidal molecules
- Development of organic minerals
- Development of peptides for cosmeceuticals
- Synthesis of phytopharmaceuticals and derivatisations.
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Biotechnology |
Sami Labs ventured into Biotechnology in the year 2000. Lactospore ® is the registered name for the probiotic Lactobacillus sporogenes. The commercial productions are based on the in-house R&D technology. |
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This division is currently involved in the purification and production of high-value enzymes. The focus in our future plants is the areas of:
- Development of yeast enriched minerals
- Development of micro organisms to facilitate manufacture of spice oleoresins
- Development of specialty enzymes
- Chiral synthesis of therapeutically active natural molecules
- Expanding fermentation technology for manufacture of drugs.
- Bioassays using microbiological techniques.
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Supercritical Fluid Extractions |
Carbon-dioxide in its critical state behaves like a non-polar solvent and can be used for extraction of essential oils, bioactives etc. USA, Japan & Western countries have strict laws governing residual solvents in pharmaceuticals. Carbon-dioxide is able to fulfill the need of solvent-less extractions. |
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Sami set up this facility in 2002. It is the first commercial unit to be established with indigenous technology developed by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Mumbai. |
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The unit operations are fully computerized and it avoids industrial pollution and ensures extraction at low temperatures avoiding any temperature related decomposition or undesirable changes in the product matrix. |
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Cosmeceuticals Development |
Cosmeceuticals are natural products whose ingredients have properties to rejuvenate and protect the skin from environmental pollution, chemicals, atmospheric temperature fluctuation, Ultraviolet A and B radiation, wrinkling, hyper pigmentation (excessive tanning) and inflammations (sunburn).
Ordinary cosmetics tend to cover up the flaws and imperfections of the skin, whereas cosmeceuticals work on improving the skin conditions in a natural way, replenishing the body with essentials. This concept has revolutionized the science of cosmetics by promising healthy ‘flawless’ skin.
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Biological Research Group: |
An essential part of product development, be it in a nutraceutical or cosmeceutical area, is claim substantiation. Evidence based product applications is what the customer will be looking for, before he decides to use it in a formulation.
Sami’s biological research division is well equipped to do invitro tests, activity guided efficacy determinations using cell lines and non-animal testing methods. It has got facilities for conducting radio immuno assays. In-house products and formulations are tested for efficacy and stability by this group. |
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Formulations R&D: |
Within this division, there are two groups, one focusing on dosage formulations and the other specializing in cosmetic formulations. They develop trial formulations and keep them for stability tests. They interact with the analytical department for method developments. The division is equipped with high speed blenders, coaters, granulators, tube fillers, tabletting and capsuling equipments. |
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