NEW DELHI: Researchers from IIT Roorkee have claimed they have identified molecules that exhibits antiviral activity against Chikungunya virus, signifying a breakthrough in treatment of the disease.
The antiviral activity achieved around 99 per cent reduction in the virus, the researchers said. At present, there are no drugs or vaccines available in the market to treat Chikungunya.
The research team led by Shailly Tomar, Department of Biotechnology, IIT Roorkee, used structure-based studies of Chikungunya virus, nsP2 protease in specific, to identify the molecules Pep-I and Pep-II that exhibited protease-inhibitory and antiviral activities.
“We have identified molecules that not only possesses anti-nsP2 propensities, but also effectively kills Chikungunya virus in the cell-based assays,” Tomar said.
The research was funded by a grant received from the Centre’s Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and was published recently in an international biochemistry journal.
Chikungunya fever is a major public health issue in India affecting billions. After 2010, the infection was in a decline until in 2016, when a massive outbreak affected the country.
The mosquito-borne disease that causes debilitating joint pain has emerged a bigger threat than dengue for people living in north India than those in southern states, which have had their share of outbreaks over the past decades.
This viral infection rarely kills, but causes severe pain that can last for years after recovery.
About 85,000 cases of the disease incidences were reported from across the country last year.