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Snake venom could be used as a tool in the fight against coronavirus, study suggests.
Brazilian researchers found that a molecule in the venom of one type of snake slows down the reproduction of coronavirus in monkey cells.
The discovery could be a possible first step towards creating a drug to fight the virus that causes COVID-19[female[feminine.
A researcher works on a sample inside a laboratory at the Institute of Physics at the University of Sao Paulo
Coronaviruses are a large group of viruses that cause respiratory infections. These can range from the common cold to more serious illnesses.
COVID-19 is caused by a new form of virus known as SARS-CoV-2.
The study showed a molecule produced by the viper jararacussu, one of the largest snakes in the Brazil, reduces the disease’s ability to multiply by 75%.
One of the scientists involved in the research, Rafael Guido, said: “We were able to show that this component of snake venom was able to inhibit a very important protein of the virus.
“This is the first step on a long journey … the process is very long.
“One component of the venom demonstrated in this study is that it has development potential. It’s a long way, we’ve taken the first steps.”
A jararacussu snake
Published in the scientific journal Molecules, the research found that the fragment is a peptide, or chain of amino acids, that can connect to a coronavirus enzyme called PLPro.
PLPro is vital for the virus to reproduce without harming other cells.
The jararacussu can grow up to 2 m (6 ft) long and is found in Brazil, the coastal Atlantic Forest, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Argentina.
Guido added that scientists “fear that people will go hunting jararacussu all over Brazil, believing it will save the world or themselves, their families.”
He said: “It is not. Is this an important finding? Without a doubt, but chasing the animal is not how it will be solved.”
“The component that has been discovered is only a fraction of the inside of the venom, it is not the venom itself that will cure the coronavirus just yet.”
The study showed that a molecule produced by the viper jararacussu reduced the disease’s ability to multiply by 75%.
The researchers will then assess the effectiveness of different doses of the molecule and whether it can prevent the virus from entering cells in the first place, according to a statement from Sao Paulo State University (Unesp), which also participated in the research.
They hope to test the substance in human cells but have given no deadline.
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