Alcune molecole di zucchero modificate sono in grado di distruggere i virus attraverso un semplice contatto e senza tossicità per l'essere umano. È un nuovo metodo messo a punto da ricercatori svizzeri e britannici e che potrebbe applicarsi a nuovi virus emergenti.
Gli attuali farmaci antivirali agiscono per la maggior parte inibendo la crescita dei virus senza riuscire a eliminarli. Inoltre, gli agenti patogeni possono mutare e diventare resistenti ai trattamenti, ha riferito mercoledì l'Università di Ginevra.
"Per aggirare questi due ostacoli, abbiamo trovato un approccio completamente differente", ha spiegato alla rivista Science Advances uno dei membri del team che è riuscito a creare un antivirale utilizzando dei derivati naturali del glucosio: le ciclodestrine.
Coronavirus, per l'OMS il rischio globale è elevato
Telegiornale 27.01.2020, 21:00
Le molecole di zucchero modificate attirano i virus prima di renderli inattivi in modo irreversibile. Il meccanismo sembra funzionare con qualsiasi virus e, secondo gli autori, potrebbe essere efficace anche contro il coronavirus che sta dilagando in Cina.
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