Bharat Jhunjhunwala

Abstract

Background: Phages targeting specific bacteria have been used for control of bacterial pathogens in plants and humans. We report results of prophylactic use of a natural cocktail of phages on plants. Materials and Methods: Water was collected from upper reaches of the Alaknanda river where more than 200 isolates of phages have been reported. The river water was collected in April 2020 before the onset of monsoons and stored with sediments. The water was sprayed twice weekly on spinach, cabbage and coriander plants. We did not isolate, identify or multiply the phages. We sprayed the water in its natural condition after diluting it to 10 percent with normal spring water that is used for irrigation in the area. Control plots were sprayed with normal spring water only. Results: We find 47 percent higher yields in spinach, 6 percent in cabbage and 40 percent in coriander. Conclusions: Natural phages of Ganga river could provide an inexpensive approach for the improvement of plant yields. Implications for prophylactic use of cocktail of phages for humans are discussed.   Keywords: Phages, Spinach, Cabbage, Coriander, Prophylactic, Ganga water, Spring water.

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Abstract

Water of Ganga river is reported to have more than 200 isolates of phages. This study has used the naturally available cocktail of phages in the Ganga water as a treatment for chronic Psoriasis. In the conventional Phage Therapy (PT) phages that are active against specific bacteria are first identified; then isolated, multiplied and administered to the patient.We have made a novel innovation of administering the naturally available cocktail of phages in the water of the Ganga river without first identifying the target bacteria and isolating specific phages that may be active against them. In doing so, we enable the large numbers of phages to self-identify the bacteria that are present and act against them. This approach shortcuts the tortuous process of conventional PT. Further, the phages act against a number of bacteria simultaneously and provide good results in psoriasis which has multiple causes. Patients who took Ganga water for only 2 weeks showed benefit but the benefit did not sustain after stoppage of the treatment and the disease relapsed to the pre-treatment levels. The same patients showed sustained benefit after they took Ganga water for four weeks. Conclusion is that Ganga water can be used for therapeutic purposes as long as the treatment is continued for at least four weeks. The study underscores the need to establish more robust protocol for treatment of dermatological and possibly other diseases with the cocktail of phages available in the waters of the Ganga river. Keywords: Psoriasis, Phage, Ganga water dermatological microbiome

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