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Can This New Treatment Stop the Common Cold? (fortune.com)
"Researchers may have identified a compound that can stop some of the most common cold viruses, the rhinovirus, in its tracks, according to a new report published in the journal Nature." An anonymous reader quotes Fortune:
The scientists' work is early-stage. But the mechanism it uses to tackle colds is striking. Developed at the Imperial College London, the molecule targets a protein in human cells that cold viruses use in order to replicate and conquer. By targeting this specific pathway, the compound could theoretically be used to thwart most viruses (and since it focuses on human proteins, it may not cause the virus to mutate its way away from danger)...
"The common cold is an inconvenience for most of us, but can cause serious complications in people with conditions like asthma and [chronic lung disease]," said lead researcher Ed Tate in a statement. "A drug like this could be extremely beneficial if given early in infection, and we are working on making a version that could be inhaled, so that it gets to the lungs quickly."
"The common cold is an inconvenience for most of us, but can cause serious complications in people with conditions like asthma and [chronic lung disease]," said lead researcher Ed Tate in a statement. "A drug like this could be extremely beneficial if given early in infection, and we are working on making a version that could be inhaled, so that it gets to the lungs quickly."
After which the virus will find another way to infiltrate human cells. It's hard to win a race against something that has a 200,000 year head start.
Back in the 1980's, eradicating a fruit fly infestation here in California was all the rage. Towards that goal, then-Governor Jerry Brown backed a program to spray malathion from helicopters, at night, over the affected areas. When complaints rose over people being poisoned, they tried to minimize the dangers by pointing out how diluted the spray was. Brown's head of the program, B.T. Collins, on TV, drank a glass of the spray mixture. Literally. Something about proving how safe it was. It was totally worth it to see him, after drinking it, bending over and wretching, live on TV.
How do people not know Mr. Betteridge by now?
Anons need not reply. Questions end with a question mark.
About 18 or so years ago they discovered that zinc prevents viruses from being able to attach to the cells along your mucous membranes and thus stops their ability to replicate. Immediately after, entire cities sold out of it and Zicam got rich. It actually does work.