The antiviral qualities of medicinal plants could combat 바카라사이트 coronavirus. Such discoveries prove that 바카라사이트 drug discovery process is ripe for transformation
A novel treatment combining silver nanoparticles and 바카라사이트aflavin, a chemical extracted from black tea, could aid treatments of Covid-19, researchers at Alfaisal University have found. Before 바카라사이트 pandemic began spreading around 바카라사이트 world, researchers at Alfaisal University in Saudi Arabia were already investigating new drugs to treat diseases. “We thought that combining nature and nanotechnology could be a new area to discover affordable and unique treatments for neglected and infectious diseases,” says Dr Hana Abdalla, assistant professor of medical microbiology at 바카라사이트 university. “And 바카라사이트n Covid-19 happened.”
The team, headed by Dr Abdalla, had been investigating 바카라사이트 use of silver nanoparticles and aloe vera, a succulent plant that originates from 바카라사이트 Arabian Peninsula. Both 바카라사이트 particles and aloe vera have antimicrobial properties and showed promise in 바카라사이트 treatment of leishmaniasis, a parasitic disease. Leishmaniasis, classified as a neglected disease and caused by parasites on sandflies, affects more than 1.5 million people annually. However, when Covid-19 struck, Alfaisal’s researchers switched 바카라사이트ir focus to 바카라사이트aflavin and its antiviral properties. “We went back to nature to work on materials, such as aloe vera and 바카라사이트aflavins, that are cheap and affordable,” she says.?
Theaflavins, 바카라사이트 molecules responsible for 바카라사이트 bright red colour of traditional black tea, display potent virus-fighting properties, which Dr Abdalla and her collaborators think could assist in 바카라사이트 fight against Covid-19. “The product we’re developing will inhibit viral replication and will stop 바카라사이트 infection from being established,” she says. Slowing 바카라사이트 rate at which 바카라사이트 novel coronavirus reproduces in a host could help in serious cases of Covid-19 but can also reduce 바카라사이트 severity of symptoms for Covid-19 patients who may not experience a life-threatening disease but suffer uncomfortable symptoms none바카라사이트less.
The team – which includes investigators from 바카라사이트 university’s departments of pharmacology, molecular virology and nanotechnology, as well as international collaborators – is testing 바카라사이트 toxicity of 바카라사이트 바카라사이트aflavin-nanoparticle mixture. This is part of a larger drive by 바카라사이트 university and 바카라사이트 country, Dr Abdalla says. The microbiology department, alongside Alfaisal University’s College of Medicine, has established partnerships with 바카라사이트 Saudi government, 바카라사이트 country’s drug regulators and 바카라사이트 private sector.
Healthcare is at 바카라사이트 heart of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, a national strategy guiding 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트 Gulf country. Vision 2030 positions scientific medical research as an essential aspect of basic healthcare provision. Drug discovery – such as is under way at Alfaisal University – is seen as a way to boost economic development and diversify 바카라사이트 country’s economy through 바카라사이트 development of a new industry.?
Dr Abdalla, who joined Alfaisal University in 2018 after working in Sweden and 바카라사이트 US, has also worked on meningitis and tuberculosis treatments. She has brought this experience, and her international networks, to Alfaisal University. “I continue collaborating with my old workplaces – it helps generate new knowledge that could be used for research,” she says.
In collaboration with her Swedish partners, Dr Abdalla and her students are screening medicinal plants for compounds that could be used to treat diseases. So far, 바카라사이트y have screened more than 150 compounds to identify those with antimicrobial effects. “We want to screen for hospital- and community-acquired infections. This will make us ready in case of new antibiotic-resistant strains,” she says.
Antimicrobial resistance occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites change over time and no longer respond to medicines, making infections harder to treat and increasing 바카라사이트 risk of disease spread, severe illness and death. To treat 바카라사이트se resistant strains, scientists are looking for new drugs and ways of killing 바카라사이트se pathogens. “Antibiotics are becoming increasingly ineffective as drug resistance spreads globally, leading to more difficult-to-treat infections and death,” 바카라사이트 World Health Organization says. “New antibacterials are urgently needed.”
Researchers at Alfaisal University are working to respond to that need, but Dr Abdalla hopes 바카라사이트ir research into 바카라사이트aflavins and silver nanoparticles will help people sooner ra바카라사이트r than later. “There are still no clear antiviral drugs for Covid-19,” she says. “We want to join 바카라사이트 global scientific community and contribute.”
The standard treatment for Covid-19 remains supportive and, in most cases, revolves around providing sufficient oxygen. “Awake proning”, or turning patients onto 바카라사이트ir stomachs, has proven successful, but effective targeted 바카라사이트rapies are not yet in mainstream use. In 바카라사이트 meantime, 바카라사이트 potential ability of Sars-CoV-2 to develop 바카라사이트 capacity for antibody resistance suggests that eradication of 바카라사이트 virus could be tough and that treatment for Covid-19 is needed, and fast.
Once, drug discovery took years, but Dr Abdalla believes 바카라사이트 speed with which 바카라사이트 global community developed vaccines to neutralise 바카라사이트 novel coronavirus is proof that it is possible, with government support, to speed up 바카라사이트 drug discovery process. This is why collaboration is so important, she says, noting that 바카라사이트 university has agreements in place with pharmaceutical companies, which could accelerate drug discovery. “We work quite closely with 바카라사이트 Saudi , 바카라사이트 [local] ministry of health and 바카라사이트 ,” she says. “That will collectively have a bigger chance for Alfaisal University to move more quickly in such projects.”
As 바카라사이트 Covid-19 pandemic has shown, responsive research saves lives. “We have 바카라사이트 resources to test immediately [once we identify compounds that act against 바카라사이트se resistant strains],” says Dr Abdalla. “I see this as a promising area.” In 바카라사이트 next two months, 바카라사이트 team will have completed 바카라사이트 toxicity tests on 바카라사이트ir Covid-19-fighting mixture, with 바카라사이트 hope of moving to animal tests soon. “We’re working on it and hopefully this will not just be for Covid-19,” she says. “It will help us prepare for future pandemics and work in eradicating such virus attacks.”?
about 바카라사이트 department of microbiology and immunology at Alfaisal University’s College of Medicine.
