Korean researchers have found a new way to mass produce vaccines for pigs... against foot and mouth disease.<br />And they used an unusual ingredient -- tobacco leaves.<br />It's cost effective, and hopefully can help Korea stay free of FMD.<br />Park Se-young has more. <br /> This factory is filled with tobacco plants.<br />Using the leaves of these plants, Korean researchers have developed a technology to mass produce a swine flu vaccine.<br />After inserting swine flu antibodies into tobacco seeds, the researchers grew the plants and extracted the antibodies from their leaves.<br />When infected pigs were injected with the vaccine, their temperatures dropped immediately.<br />At one-third the price of existing cell-based vaccines, the plant-based vaccine is safe and can be used for pork exports.<br /><br /> "It's much safer compared to live vaccines and can be used more easily on site. Its marker function helps us achieve FMD-free status."<br /><br /> Tobacco leaves can be harvested monthly since plant factories are unaffected by seasons or external conditions.<br />The vaccine provides a healthy way to utilize the tobacco plant.<br /><br /> "Instead of consuming tobacco the usual way, we can introduce techniques like protein extraction and vaccine production to create added values."<br /><br /> The manufacturing technique for plant-derived vaccines could be applied to the production of other medicines or for cosmetics.<br />Park Se-young, Arirang News. <br />
