Developments of scientists from FEB RAS will help to defeat COVID-19! Biologists propose to repurpose drugs created in laboratories to treat and rehabilitate patients after coronavirus infection.
Flat urchins were underestimated in vain by Oriental healers, who used marine organisms in medicine for centuries. The healing power of echinoderm pigments was first discovered by biologists of FEB RAS. Thus, there appeared preparations for immunity, heart, eye diseases, inflammatory lung diseases. And here is a new discovery. Substances from sea urchins showed high antiviral activity.
Valentin Stonik, RAS Academician, Scientific Director of TIBOKh FEB RAS: « We sent this drug to Moscow and asked to test it on coronaviruses, but so far this has not been done and our drug is somewhere in the queue to test its effect ».
But tests against tick-borne encephalitis and herpes on animals were successful. Echinochrome from echinoderms once again proved to be a success! The substance kills viral particles, especially in the early stages of the disease. The body becomes resistant to infection. Such natural compounds can cope with coronaviruses as well, biologists are sure.