Palakkad: Scientists at IIT Palakkad have discovered plant-based molecules that may work better than current medicines used to treat the Nipah virus.

Researchers believe that drugs made using these natural compounds could be more effective than existing medicines like Remdesivir, Ribavirin, and Favipiravir. The findings were published in the international journal FASEB.

The two key molecules identified are:

  • Andrographolide
  • Stigmasterol

These are found in common plants such as Tulsi (Holy Basil), Eucalyptus, and Nilavembu.

According to the research team, the molecules work by blocking certain proteins that the Nipah virus uses to rebuild its RNA inside the human body. This stops the virus from multiplying.

The effectiveness of these compounds is said to increase further when they are combined and made into nanoparticles.

The molecules occur naturally and are already used in Siddha and Ayurvedic treatments. This makes them promising for creating a safe, affordable, and natural treatment for Nipah infections.

The study was conducted by:

  • Dr Giridharan Loganathan Malarvizhi
  • Prof Jagadeesh Bayry

Both are from the Biological Sciences and Engineering Department at IIT Palakkad.

The team is also setting up a special research lab at IIT Palakkad. This lab will allow them to study viruses like Nipah without needing high-security facilities, which are usually required for such research.

They hope this will help test the effectiveness of the newly found molecules more easily and quickly.