Scientists from Florida International University have found something exciting. They’ve discovered a substance that can help fight a serious disease called malaria.
This substance is a type of antibiotic and contains a chemical called arsenic. This chemical is usually dangerous, but in this case, it might be a lifesaver.
The Special Antibiotic
The scientists developed this antibiotic, called AST, to deal with harmful bacteria that are resistant to normal antibiotics.
These “superbugs” include the likes of E. coli and Mycobacteria, which can cause tuberculosis. The antibiotic AST was successful in stopping these bacteria in the lab.
A New Use Against Malaria
More recently, the scientists discovered something else about AST. They found that it could stop a parasite called Plasmodium falciparum.
This parasite is the cause of malaria. Not only that, but AST can stop this parasite from infecting mosquitoes, which is how it spreads. This makes AST different from other drugs used to treat malaria.
The Advantage of AST
Currently, drugs used to treat malaria do not fully stop the disease from spreading. Infected people can still pass on the parasite to mosquitoes.
These mosquitoes can then infect other people. Therefore, finding drugs that can do more than just treat the disease is vital.
AST has the potential to become this type of drug. Its ability to stop the parasite from infecting mosquitoes could break the malaria transmission cycle. This makes it a potential game changer in the fight against malaria.
The Safe Use of Arsenic
Arsenic is usually known as a deadly poison. However, the arsenic in AST is not pure. In fact, arsenic has been used safely in some medicines since the early 1900s.
Tests on human cells revealed that AST attacks the malaria parasite without harming the cells themselves.
Malaria Today
Every year, there are around 240 million cases of malaria worldwide. Most cases occur in Africa.
But, the disease can also occur in the U.S. In fact, local cases of malaria have recently been reported in Florida and Texas. This is the first time this has happened since 2003.
The Future of AST
The team of scientists has received a U.S. patent for AST. This means they have the legal right to use it. However, there is still much work to be done before AST can become a drug.
The team plans to continue studying how AST works, particularly how it enters human red blood cells.
The team is excited about their research. They believe that AST is different from other drugs, which makes it more promising.
There’s a long journey ahead before AST can become a widely used drug. But, this discovery is a big step forward in the fight against malaria.
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The study was published in Microorganisms.
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