CHENNAI: Even as the government on Thursday decided to distribute kabasura kudineer to boost immunity of people against coronavirus in containment zones in Chennai, researchers have found that some ingredients — chukku, kirambu and nilavembu — in the herbal concoction can fight the virus.
Researchers from the Directorate of Indian Medicine and Sanjeev Biomedical Research Centre found through simulations that the phytocompounds or the chemical compounds present in at least eight of the herbs used to make kabasura kudineer could stop the virus from replicating and protect the body from developing Covid-19. The phytocompounds bind with the spike protein or the surface protein of coronavirus and stop it from binding with the human cell membrane receptors, which acts like a bridge, to enter the human cell before it begins to replicate.
"If consumed before contracting the virus, the phytocompounds can bind to the epithelial cells of the respiratory system and boost the immune system while also stopping the virus from binding with the human cells and replicating after an individual catches the virus," said M S Ramasamy, director, Sanjeev Biomedical Research Centre, one of the researchers in the study.
The spike protein is a major surface protein that coronavirus uses to bind to a receptor, which is another protein that acts like a doorway into a human cell. Once the spike protein binds to the human cell receptor, the viral membrane fuses with the human cell membrane allowing the genome of the virus to enter human cells and begin infection. Ramasamy said they tested the effectiveness of the ingredients used in the formulations of kabasura kudineer and thonthasura kudineer, which are concoctions of 15 and 10 herbs respectively.
"In Siddha, we have more than 64 different drugs to treat fever caused by different infections. We chose kabasura kudineer and thonthasura kudineer based on the phytocompounds which are known to act on viruses that affect the respiratory system," Ramasamy said.
The researchers found that a total of 10 medicinal herbs or plants used in the formulations of both the drugs were able to bind with different amino acids present in various regions of the spike protein. Among the 10 herbs, at least eight are used in making kabasura kudineer. It includes chukka, kirambu, siruthekku, kostam, adathodai, nilavembu, akkirakaram, mulliver and seendhil.
Researchers from the Directorate of Indian Medicine and Sanjeev Biomedical Research Centre found through simulations that the phytocompounds or the chemical compounds present in at least eight of the herbs used to make kabasura kudineer could stop the virus from replicating and protect the body from developing Covid-19. The phytocompounds bind with the spike protein or the surface protein of coronavirus and stop it from binding with the human cell membrane receptors, which acts like a bridge, to enter the human cell before it begins to replicate.
"If consumed before contracting the virus, the phytocompounds can bind to the epithelial cells of the respiratory system and boost the immune system while also stopping the virus from binding with the human cells and replicating after an individual catches the virus," said M S Ramasamy, director, Sanjeev Biomedical Research Centre, one of the researchers in the study.
The spike protein is a major surface protein that coronavirus uses to bind to a receptor, which is another protein that acts like a doorway into a human cell. Once the spike protein binds to the human cell receptor, the viral membrane fuses with the human cell membrane allowing the genome of the virus to enter human cells and begin infection. Ramasamy said they tested the effectiveness of the ingredients used in the formulations of kabasura kudineer and thonthasura kudineer, which are concoctions of 15 and 10 herbs respectively.
"In Siddha, we have more than 64 different drugs to treat fever caused by different infections. We chose kabasura kudineer and thonthasura kudineer based on the phytocompounds which are known to act on viruses that affect the respiratory system," Ramasamy said.
The researchers found that a total of 10 medicinal herbs or plants used in the formulations of both the drugs were able to bind with different amino acids present in various regions of the spike protein. Among the 10 herbs, at least eight are used in making kabasura kudineer. It includes chukka, kirambu, siruthekku, kostam, adathodai, nilavembu, akkirakaram, mulliver and seendhil.
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