Researchers at Portugal showed that an anti-oxidant drug can protect against the development of malaria, infectious disease caused by protozoan parasites. The team has previously proven that parasite Plasmodium multiplies in red blood cells and causes them to burst and release hemoglobin, protein that binds with oxygen in red blood cells, leading to severe malaria and possibly death.
Mice express high levels of heme-oxygenase-1 (HO-1), an enzyme that degrades heme and protects infected mice from serious forms of malaria. In addition, N-acetylcysteine (NAC), an anti-oxidant drug, has the same effect as HO-1. This opens a new approach at possibly treating malaria by strengthening the health of the host.
Reference:
Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência (IGC). "Naturally-occurring Protection Against Severe Malaria Demonstrated." ScienceDaily 24 August 2009. 24 August 2009 .
No comments:
Post a Comment