Upendranath Brahmachari: Revisiting a Forgotten Bengali Scientist behind Cure of Kala-azar
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Kala-azar, or visceral leishmaniasis, was once a widespread problem in the Bengal Presidency of British India, encompassing present-day Indian states such as Bengal, Bihar, Assam, and Odisha. The disease was prevalent along the Ganga and Brahmaputra River regions. Upendranath Brahmachari, born on December 19, 1873, emerged as a pioneering figure in the field of medicine, particularly noted for his groundbreaking work in combating Kala-azar in 1920. Upendranath Brahmachari discovered urea stibamine which revolutionized the treatment of Kala-azar. This discovery achieved a cure rate exceeding 90% with minimal side effects. His research also extended to identifying post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis, subsequently known as Brahmachari Leishmanoid. Despite nominations for the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1929 and 1942, Brahmachari’s enduring legacy in tropical therapeutics and biochemistry remains underappreciated.
Source: Bengal Physician Journal
Language: English
Subfield: History and Philosophy of Science
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4408718835