By Matters India Reporter
Palayamkottai, April 19, 2020: A Jesuit research center in Palayamkottai has developed an herb-based sanitizer to help the poor in the southern Indian district to fight the coronavirus pandemic.
“As the coronavirus was taking a stronger hold we wanted to help the people with a simple self-protection method,” Jesuit scientist Father Savarimuthu Ignacimuthu, director of Xavier Research Foundation attached to St. Xavier’s College in Palayamkottai, that developed Xavier Sanitizer, told Matters India on April 19.
“Authorities all over the world harp on hand washing and hand sanitizing to keep coronavirus at bay, but we found sanitizers are far beyond common people’s research,” said the 71 year-old Jesuit scientist who had earlier served as the vice chancellor of two universities in Tamil Nadu — Coimbatore-based Bharatiyar University and Chennai-based University of Madras.
The product was launched on March 24, at St. Xavier’s College premises in the presence of newspaper journalists and TV media personnel. Fathers Henry Jerome, the rector, Alphonse Manickam, the secretary and Mariadoss, the principal, spoke on the occasion highlighting the importance of the product at this particular juncture.
Father Ignacimuthu said as they decided to develop a hand sanitizer after learning that the virus spreads by touch.
“We also know that the already available sanitizers were costly. We wanted to make a cost effective product to help the poor people in Tirunelveli district (of Tamil Nadu),” he explained.
The low-cost organic product is also useful as a disinfectant to keep away germs and pathogens, especially viruses.
The Jesuit center has transferred the technology to a small local company ‘Biomeitez’ to manufacture and market it. The Jesuit foundation will keep a check on the quality and pricing.
Since the launch a month ago, the Jesuit foundation has distributed 350 bottles of 60 ml free to police personnel, the people of villages adopted by their college through its extension program.
The company has distributed about 500 bottles of 100 ml in their neighborhood in Nagercoil and Kanniyakumari districts, Father Ignacimuthu said.
“The company which produces and markets it sells 100 ml bottle at 100 rupees. Originally we wanted it to be sold around 70 rupees. Once there was demand the price of raw materials doubled and tripled. So the company also had to increase the price,” explained the.
He also said they could not do more as the nationwide lockdown to contain the coronavirus pandemic has made procuring raw materials difficult.
Based on scientific evidences and detailed research findings, the center chose some herbal ingredients to prepare the product. They mixed together small quantities of citronella oil, curcuma oil, and fresh neem leaf essence extracted using large volume of warm isopropyl alcohol and adequate quantity of distilled water.
The priest said his team has received “very positive” feedback. People who used the product “are very happy with it since it is herbal and organic without any toxicity.”
About their future plans, he said they have handed over the rights to the Nagercoil-based company, which has applied for license. “Once the formalities are over, they start production and distribution. They may enter into some agreement with other companies for marketing.”
The priest does not foresee the product being available all over India in near future.
Father Savarimuthu also said his center is currently working on many socially relevant projects. “Once some good progress is there we will come out with some products,” he added.
The product could be stored in bottles or other containers for a long time. A few drops can be used to rinse the hands, allowing them to dry. It will be effective for some five hours. The product costs much less than all the sanitizers available in the market.