After this “scientists won’t have to continuously develop new therapies every time a new SARS-CoV-2 variant emerges,” scientists claim.

According to a new study led by researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, Neem bark extract may help cure and prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Components of Neem bark may target a wide spectrum of viral proteins, according to a study published recently in the journal Virology, implying that it could be used as an antiviral drug against developing coronavirus strains.

The anti-parasitic, anti-bacterial, and antiviral qualities of the Neem tree, which is native to India, have been employed for thousands of years. Malaria, stomach and intestinal ulcers, skin diseases, and a variety of other ailments have all been treated with bark extract.

“The goal of this research is to develop a Neem-based medication that can reduce the risk of serious illness when someone is infected with coronaviruses,” says study co-author Maria Nagel.

“We hope that scientists won’t have to continuously develop new therapies every time a new SARS-CoV-2 variant emerges,” she adds. “Just like how we take penicillin for strep throat, we envision taking the Neem-based drug for COVID, allowing us to resume our normal lives without fear of hospitalization and death.”

In their laboratory, the researchers looked into the effects of the bark extract on coronaviruses. Researchers in India used animal models to test it and discovered that it had antiviral capabilities against coronavirus. The researchers expected that Neem bark extract would bind to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein at numerous sites, inhibiting virus entry into host cells, based on computer modeling.

The Neem bark extract was evaluated in SARS-CoV-2 human lung cells at CU Anschutz. It was found to be as effective as an infection prevention medicine, as well as a drug that reduced virus multiplication and spread after infection.

“The next step in our research is to identify the specific components in Neem bark extract that are antiviral. Because these components bind to various regions of SARS-CoV-2, we believe that it will be effective on emerging variants with spike mutations,” adds Nagel. “We will then determine the formulation of dosage for an antiviral drug to treat coronavirus infections.”

These findings, according to the researchers, could help drive new antiviral therapy efforts to battle the ongoing outbreak, as well as hold potential for treating novel coronavirus strains.

Source: 10.1016/j.virol.2022.01.002

Image Credit: Getty

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