Chikungunya cure discovered at IIT-R
CurrenTLy, no VACCine or Drug is AVAiLABLe in The MArKeT To CounTer ChiKungunyA
NEW DELHI: Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee in collaboration with Gwalior-based Defence Research and Development Establishment have discovered the anti-viral properties of the drug piperazine in combating chikungunya, a viral disease caused by mosquitoes. Piperazine is currently used for treating worm infections such as roundworm.
The findings have been published in ‘Antiviral Research’ a journal of the International Society for Antiviral Research, published by Elsevier.
The researchers examined the antiviral properties of the drug using X-ray crystallographic technique, in combination with computational biology and fluorescence techniques.
According to Shailly Tomar, who led the research at IIT Roorkee, previous literature suggested that piperazine targets the capsid protein which is present in the chikungunya virus. “We conducted cell testing in the laboratory using monkey cell lines to discover that the virus did not replicate in the body in the presence of this drug,” explains Tomar.
“We identified that pipera- zine binds itself well with the hydrophobic pocket on the capsid protein which causes the replication of the virus inside a host.”
Tomar’s team is researching on chikungunya for the last ten years with this particular and more molecules are being tested to see if other proteins present in the drug could be countered through existing drugs.
Currently, no vaccine or drug is available in the market to counter chikungunya.
Tomar adds that a lot of research on finding drugs for malaria and chikungunya focus on creating new drugs.
“Since we are using existing drugs, we do not have to conduct any toxicity test which saves us time,” she adds.
In the next stage, this drug will be tested on mice for almost a year. Toxicity test is the next stage after animal testing for new drugs but will not be needed in this case.
“After animal testing, we can start with clinical studies where these drugs will be prescribed to patients,” says Tomar.