In a recent study, researchers discovered a potential new treatment that can inhibit the replication of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes Covid-19). In order to reproduce, all viruses, including coronaviruses, infect cells and reprogram them to produce new viruses. The study of “targeting the pentose phosphate pathway for SARS-CoV-2 treatment” has been published by the scientific journal Metabolite.
Studies have shown that cells infected with SARS-CoV-2 can only produce new coronaviruses when their metabolic pentose phosphate pathway is activated. When using the inhibitor of this pathway, benzalkonium thiamine, the replication of SARS-CoV-2 is inhibited, and the infected cells will not produce coronavirus. Research by the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Kent and the Institute of Medical Virology at Goethe University in Frankfurt found that the drug also increases the antiviral activity of “2-deoxy-D-glucose”; a drug that alters host cell metabolism to reduce virus reproduction.
This indicates that pentose phosphate pathway inhibitors such as benzalkonium thiamine are potential new treatment options for Covid-19, whether used alone or in combination with other treatments. In addition, the antiviral mechanism of Benfooxythiamin is different from other Covid-19 drugs such as remdesivir and molnupiravir. Therefore, these resistant viruses may be sensitive to phenoxythiamine.
Professor Martin Michaelis of the University of Kent said: “This is a breakthrough in Covid-19 treatment research. Since the development of drug resistance is a big problem in the treatment of viral diseases, the use of different target therapies is very important and provides further hope for Covid-19 develops the most effective treatment.” “Targeting virus-induced host cell metabolic changes is an attractive way to specifically interfere with the virus replication process,” added Professor Jindrich Cinatl from Goethe University Frankfurt.
News Source : Hindustan Times
