COVID-19: IIT Mandi, ICGEB discovers potential non-vaccine treatment

NEW DELHI: A research team from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Mandi and International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), New Delhi discovered a potential treatment aid for COVID-19 infection as in phytochemicals – chemicals derived from plants -- identified in the petals of the Himalayan buransh plant.

The developments made by the ICGEB and IITM researchers have been published in the journal Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics. The researchers were led by Shyam Kumar Masakapalli, associate professor, Biox Centre, School of Basic Science, IIT Mandi and Ranjan Nanda, translational health group and Sujatha Sunil, vector-borne disease group, ICGEB.

Also read | IIT Roorkee researchers identify role of white blood cell markers in sepsis-related complications

“The researchers are in the process of studying the virus’ nature and discovering non-vaccine medicines to prevent the infection and spread. These medicines contain chemicals that could get attached to the receptors in human body cells and prevent the virus from entering. These medicines could also act on the virus and prevent its replication,” said a statement from IIT Mandi.

“The petals of the buransh plant are consumed by the local population in Himalayan areas. IIT Mandi and ICGEB researchers tested the extracts from buransh for antiviral properties. The extracts were rich in quinic acid. The extracts could interfere with enzymes that help in viral replication and also with those that mediate viral entry into the host cells,” it said.

Also read | Schools, Colleges Closed Live Updates: Boards, universities postpone exams as Omicron, COVID-19 cases rise in India

“Phytochemicals are promising due to their synergistic activity and natural source with fewer toxicity issues. We are looking for such molecules from the Himalayan flora”, said Masakapalli.

“The discovery and experiment results prove the importance for continuing research to find bioactive drug candidates from the buransh plant, and also trying out clinical trials against COVID-19. The research team is planning to further their studies by investigating the prevention of COVID-19 replication by specific phytochemicals from buransh petals,” said the statement.