Switch to हिंदी

Health, Fitness, Beauty & Diet | Pregnancy & Parenting | Diseases & Home Remedies | TheHealthSite.com

Health, Fitness, Beauty & Diet | Pregnancy & Parenting | Diseases & Home Remedies | TheHealthSite.com

हिंदी
  • Health A-Z
  • Diabetes
  • Diseases
    • Type 1 Diabetes
    • Type 2 Diabetes
    • Cancer
    • Heart Attack
    • Pneumonia
    • Diseases A-Z
  • Diet & Fitness
    • Weight Management
    • Exercise & Body Building
    • Diet & Recipes
    • Yoga
  • Coronavirus
  • News
  • Pregnancy
    • Conceiving
    • Infertility
    • Labour & Delivery
    • Pregnancy week-by-week
    • Breastfeeding
    • Baby Names
  • Beauty
    • Skin
    • Hair
    • Grooming
  • Photos
  • Videos
Home / Diseases-conditions / Herpes / Drug for rare enzyme deficiency may help treat herpes viruses effectively

Drug for rare enzyme deficiency may help treat herpes viruses effectively

A drug currently prescribed to treat a rare enzyme deficiency can help cells clear the herpes simplex viruses. Read on to know more.

By: Jahnavi Sarma   | | Updated: December 9, 2020 9:40 am
Tags: Herpes simpex virus  Herpes symptoms  Herpes virus  
herpes, herpes treatment, herpes simplex viruses
The research team investigated the antiviral effects of PBA and found that in cells the drug disrupts the ability of the virus to hijack the cellular machinery used to produce proteins. @Shutterstock

There are very few drugs available to treat herpes simplex viruses, so when new drugs become available, especially drugs that enable fewer side effects. A drug currently prescribed to treat a rare enzyme deficiency can help cells clear the herpes simplex viruses — a virus causing contagious sores, most often around the mouth or on the genitals, say researchers from the University of Illinois at Chicago, including one of Indian-origin. Also Read - US grants patent to Ayurvedic remedy for herpes

Identified drug reduces side effects of acyclovir, commonly used for herpes treatment

The data, published in the journal Science Advances, shows that the antiviral activity of the drug — called phenylbutyrate, or PBA — was even better when used along with acyclovir, a common HSV-1 treatment. When used in combination, less acyclovir is needed to effectively suppress the virus compared to acyclovir alone — this is important because acyclovir is also known to have toxic side effects like kidney damage. Acyclovir can have very toxic effects on the kidneys, especially when it is given in higher doses for HSV-induced encephalitis, which is rare but can be deadly. By combining acyclovir with PBA, we need less acyclovir to effectively treat HSV-1. Also Read - Researchers discover vaccine to treat herpes



Long term use of acyclovir can damage kidneys

There are two types of herpes simplex virus: herpes simplex 1, which infects the eyes and mouth and is a leading cause of blindness, and herpes simplex 2, a genital infection that may cause painful sores and can seriously impair quality of life. Treatment for both infections often includes acyclovir — a systemic medication taken orally. However, long-term use often results in resistance to the drug as well as kidney damage. Also Read - Avoid these things if you are suffering from herpes

New drug stops virus from hijacking cells

The research team investigated the antiviral effects of PBA and found that in cells the drug disrupts the ability of the virus to hijack the cellular machinery used to produce proteins. Normally, viruses infect cells and force them to produce viral proteins so the virus can replicate itself. But the cell also continues to produce proteins for its own use, leading to a lot of stress in the structure — called the endoplasmic reticulum, or ER for short — that makes protein. The researchers found that in cells, PBA alone was able to clear HSV-1 from cells of donated human corneas or from donated human skin tissue just as well as acyclovir.

It can treat both HSV 1 and HSV 2 infection

In a mouse model of ocular HSV-1 infection, PBA administered intraperitoneally was able to clear the virus from the eyes. In an animal model of HSV-2 vaginal infection, mice that received PBA had no signs of the HSV-2 virus in tissues, similar to mice treated with acyclovir. When they tested a combination of PBA with acyclovir cells infected with HSV-1, the drug combo was able to completely clear the virus from the cells faster and better than either drug alone. Researchers say that PBA is an exciting new therapeutic for treating herpes infections that can help reduce side effects associated with long term or high dose use of acyclovir, a commonly prescribed medication to treat herpes viruses.

(With inputs from IANS)

Published : December 8, 2020 8:55 pm | Updated:December 9, 2020 9:40 am
Read Disclaimer

Asymptomatic children at risk too: Thrombotic microangiopathy detected in COVID-19 positive kids

Asymptomatic children at risk too: Thrombotic microangiopathy detected in COVID-19 positive kids

Winter can exacerbate arthritis pain: Here’s how to deal with it

Winter can exacerbate arthritis pain: Here’s how to deal with it

Please Wait. Article Loading ....

Coronavirus Updates

Coronavirus Updates

Stay Informed, Be Safe

  • UK COVID Strain May Be More Infectious But There Is No Need To Panic: Experts
  • South African coronavirus variant may 'escape antibodies, cause reinfection'
  • ‘Enhanced immunity, no serious adverse events’: Lancet releases Covaxin’s Phase 1 trial data
  • Covid-19 variant detected in UK may be ‘more deadly than the older virus strain’
  • Beware! Coronavirus can damage your brain in many ways. Here’s what to know

Health Calculators

BMI Calculator
bmi Calculator
Ideal Body Weight
ideal body weight
Daily Calorie Intake
Daily calorie intake
Calories Burned
calories burned

Related Stories

US grants patent to Ayurvedic remedy for herpes

US grants patent to Ayurvedic remedy for herpes

Researchers discover vaccine to treat herpes

Researchers discover vaccine to treat herpes

Avoid these things if you are suffering from herpes

Avoid these things if you are suffering from herpes

Here is why you should never kiss a baby!

Here is why you should never kiss a baby!

Health News in Hindi

इम्यूनिटी मजबूत करने के लिए गर्म पानी के साथ खाएं काली मिर्च, होंगे सेहत को ये 4 अन्य फायदे

Eczema Myths: एक्जिमा को लेकर न मन में न लाएं ये 5 गलतफहमी, वरना आपकी त्‍वचा हो जाएगी और ज्‍यादा खराब

Vaccine Donation By India: भारत की दरियादिली की दुनियाभर में तारीफ, डब्‍ल्‍यूएचओ प्रमुख ने पीएम मोदी का किया ‘शुक्रिया’

Menstrual Clots: क्या पीरियड्स में ब्लड क्लॉट्स आना सामान्य है? जानें, मासिक धर्म में खून के थक्के आने के कारण, इलाज

Stretching Exercises For BP: रोजाना 30 मिनट तक करें स्‍ट्रेचिंग एक्‍सरसाइज, कंट्रोल रहेगा हाई ब्‍लड प्रेशर

Read All

Recent Posts

  • Lactose intolerant? 5 best non-dairy substitutes for milk
  • Struggling with hair thinning? 5 hair masks for fine hair to soothe your scalp
  • Get your daily dose of potassium from these foods if you don’t like bananas
  • Load up on antioxidants to alleviate the risk of cancer and heart diseases
  • UK COVID Strain May Be More Infectious But There Is No Need To Panic: Experts

About The health Site

TheHealthSite.com is India's largest health site with more than 40 lakh unique visitors per month. We focus on fitness, beauty, health, pregnancy and more.

Most popular health and wellness website in India in 2012 at the Website of the year awards.

health@corp.india.com
+91 – 22 – 6697 1234
Landline Phone number 91 – 22 – 2490 0302.

ZEE ENTERTAINMENT ENTERPRISES LTD, 18th floor, A-Wing, Marathon Futurex, N. M. Joshi Marg, Lower Parel, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400013.

Useful Links

  • Weight Loss
  • Keto Diet Tips
  • Skin Care Tips
  • Intermittent Fasting
  • Apple Cider Vinegar
  • Ashwagandha
  • Cancer
  • Pneumonia
  • Diarrhoea
  • Dengue
  • Typhoid
  • Tuberculosis
  • Chickenpox
  • Chikungunya
  • Depression
  • Hepatitis
  • Diabetes
  • Type 2 diabetes
  • Arthritis
  • Swine Flu
  • Baby Names
  • Cough and cold
  • Heart Attack
  • Breast Cancer
  • Ebola Virus
  • Dengue
  • Malaria
  • International Yoga Day
  • Hypotension
  • Heart Failure
  • Asthma
  • Brain Tumour
  • Celebrity Fitness
  • Goitre
  • HIV/AIDS

We respect your privacy

  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Author Profiles

Copyright © 2021 Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited. All rights reserved.