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American Alligators – Solution to AIDS?
- by Susan Heather
4 Comments
Mark Merchant, a biochemist at McNeese University in Lake Charles, Louisiana was among the first to notice that despite living in a swampy environment, where bacteria are infinite, American Alligators never suffered fatal infections in their wounds and scratches. Studies found out that serum (fluid present in blood) of the reptile was the main reason behind it. Its capability to handle 23 strains of viruses (some were even resistant to antibiotics) opened up a new door to drug development and led scientists to further studies.
When researchers exposed the alligator serum to HIV infection, it was observed that a good amount of virus was destroyed, and the multiplication process of bacteria decelerated. Study co-author Lancia Darville and her colleagues still believe that products with alligator peptides would take almost seven to ten years to find their way to the shelves of local pharmacies. This is due to the fact that higher concentration of alligator serum tends to be toxic for human cells; it would take much time and studies to separate the required strain of peptide.
Conclusion – HIV drug development has seen many phases since in discovery in the 80s, this too is a part of the process that will eventually lead to a concrete solution to this epidemic. Throughout history, animals and reptiles are always been a hot topic in relation with drug development, snake venom and the bile acid of Asiatic Black Bear are such examples. Modern medicine is now on its way to find a solution to HIV epidemic in American alligators, despite knowing the fact that the specie is declared at the verge of extinction according to the Endangered Species Act 1973.
What are your opinions and ideas?
Take Care
SH
Published on October 23, 2009 · Filed under: AIDS Awareness, HIV / AIDS, New Research; Tagged as: AIDS, AIDS cure, AIDS research, American Alligators, HIV cure
4 Responses to “American Alligators – Solution to AIDS?”
- It goes to show you that solutions can be found in the strangest places…
- If it’s proven to work, research should be pursued…
- There is always hope even in the face of the myriad of genetic challenges which branch reptiles from mammals and even further from humans. The alligator and crocodile populations have withstood eons of evolutionary challenges and, perhaps, there will be genetic mimicky opportunities in studying their ability to manage an HIV infection.
- Without doubt, the acceleration which has been seen the last two years with stem cell research and genomic sequencing, moving toward the target of HIV / AIDS eradication is gaining momentum and truer aim. Let’s remain open to oblique clues like the ticking clock in Peter Pan’s reptile.
- The Endangered Species Act outlawed alligator hunting, allowing the species to rebound in numbers in many areas where it had been depleted. As the alligator began to make a comeback, states established alligator population monitoring programs and used this information to ensure alligator numbers continued to increase. In 1987, the Fish and Wildlife Service pronounced the American alligator fully recovered and consequently removed the animal from the list of endangered species (as any recent golfer in Florida can confirm).
- It certainly merits more testing. Have you heard more about the use of Moringa Tree extract as a immune booster and lesion treatment for AIDS patients in Africa? It’s just started to get some traction in Kenya.
