Scientists suppress coronavirus with snake venom component

Russian scientists under the leadership of the head of the laboratory of the Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences Yuri

Utkin noticed that in the shellThe new type of coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has fatty molecules that are similar in structure to those parts of the cell membrane that attack phospholipase A2 (PLA2) molecules, one of the key enzymes in the venom of vipers and other snakes.

After this, biologists monitored how phospholipases would interact with coronavirus particles. It turned out that enzymes from the venom of Nikolsky’s vipers suppressed the virus multiplication best.

These snakes live in southwestern Russia, Ukraine and Romania. Their enzymes not only suppressed the spread of the virus, but also dissolved viral particles.

We have shown that extracted from the venom of different speciesSnake phospholipases A2 (PLA2) are able to varying degrees to protect cells (Vero E6) from the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, which are widely used in experiments with viruses. 

Research text

Experts believe that snake venom can be used to create drugs that attack the virus.

In particular, scientists are now investigating whether the compounds found in black tea and wormwood extracts are capable of inhibiting the multiplication of SARS-CoV-2.

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