Bringing yet another glimpse of hope, a Karnataka oncologist, Dr Vishal Rao, has developed a new concoction of drugs effective in the treatment of coronavirus, reports ANI. As per reports, he has applied for a government review.
Surgical oncologist Dr Rao said that he had conceived of a mixture of cytokines, which when injected into coronavirus positive patients could re-activate their immune system. Cytokines are secreted by certain cells of the immune system and have an effect on other cells, as per medical definition.
“Human body cells release interferon chemicals to kill viruses. But it can’t be released by cells in the case of COVID-19 cases, leading to a weak immune system. We got hold of some preprint suggesting that interferon is effective in COVID-19,” Dr Rao was quoted as saying by ANI.
Interferons are a group of signalling proteins made and released by host cells in response to the presence of several viruses. In a typical scenario, a virus-infected cell will release interferons causing nearby cells to heighten their anti-viral defenses.
Dr Rao explained that interferon was formed when blood is withdrawn for regular check-ups. “These two chemicals and some other cytokines, in a specific concoction, could be potentially very useful in treating COVID-19 patients,” he said.
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