幹細胞研究と治療のジャーナル

概要

Metadichol^® a Novel Sialidase Inhibitor

Raghavan PR, Yogisha S, Anand S and Purushotham GV

Humans face a constant threat from pathogens like influenza varieties H1N1, H5N1, and others and there is a need to prevent these from epidemics. The pathogens depend on successful colonization of the host in order to reproduce and multiply. Sialidases are known as neuraminidases are a group of enzymes, the most abundant of these being the exo-sialidases that can catalyze the cleavage of sialic acids from carbohydrates, glycoproteins or glycolipids. Sialidases have been thoroughly studied since their discovery 75 years ago and their occurrence in bacteria and viruses is widespread. They are found in diverse virus families and bacteria and other microbes. Moreover, sialic acids serve as a receptor for various pathogens. This allows bacteria like H1N1 or other influenza viruses, to enter the host cell. There is a need to block sialidases as they release sialic acid that serves as nutrition for the microbes and as well allows them to bind and invade the host cell where they can proliferate. This makes sialidases an interesting target to control pathogenic activity.

Metadichol^® is nanoemulsion of long-chain lipid alcohols derived from food ingredients. In rats, it has an LD50 of 5000 mg/kilo and its ingredients are present in many foods we consume on a daily basis. It has antiviral and antibacterial and anti-parasitic properties. We studied inhibition of Sialidases by inducing it with Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) using THP1 cells. Metadichol showed inhibition at 1 picogram per ml to 1 nanogram per/ml. Compared to Prednisone. It is 100 times more active. Previous studies on Metadichol^® showed that it is toxic to cancer cells at higher concentrations.

Since it is safer, it has the potential of being directly tested on humans without side effects and could have a potential role in mitigating the pathogens that a burden on the Public health system.