Sharks' Virus Killer Could Cure Humans, Study Suggests
The above image represents the Chemical nomenclature for the chemical which is the focus of discussion in the National Geographic article. It is the organic chemistry representation for the compound squalamine. "Squalamine, a compound found in sharks, has great potential for treating human viruses and is known to be safe for humans to use, scientists from Georgetown University Medical Center wrote in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Squalamine has been used in clinical trials for eye disorders and the treatment of cancer. Its safety profile is well established, meaning it could rapidly be tested as a new class of medications for the treatment of various viruses, such as hepatitis, dengue or yellow fever."
(source:http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/234711.php
To see a video about this discovery in which Dr. Michael Zasloff, a professor at Georgetown University Medical Center, talks about how he first discoved squalamine in dogfish sharks, how it can be made in lab (to avoid having to harm sharks to get squalamine), and how its chemical properties could aid the fight against viruses like Hepatitis B, please click on the start button below:
Of course the best part of this besides the fact that this compound could help end or help reduce the severity of several types of diseases in humans, is that Dr. Zasloff said the shark did not have to be harmed in this research! It is nice to hear a scientist use these words to describe scientific research!
