Health
Cold cure shows some promise
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted June 13, 2005
An antiviral compound that wiggles its way into the common cold virus may provide one piece of the solution to halting infections, according to Purdue University scientists who published their findings in the May 24 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Using computer simulations, the scientists found that the likely reason for the promise shown by a prototype drug for curing colds, the WIN compound, is its flexible structure that may allow it to shimmy inside the proteins that form the virus' outer shell and alter them to the point where they cannot complete the infection process.
"WIN compounds aren't going to cure the cold anytime soon, but our analysis of their behavior may have shown us why they are so good at foiling these viruses. Their flexibility allows them to reach a weak spot in the viral shell," said lead author Carol B. Post, professor of medicinal chemistry in Purdue's College of Pharmacy, Nursing and Health Sciences and of biological sciences in the College of Science.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2005/06/13/hlbf0613.htm.
