University of Kerbala
The professor from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Kerbala, Dr. Ali Mansour (Ph.D., Microbiology and Clinical Immunology) and Head of the Microbiology Branch, has proposed a drug for the emerging coronavirus (COVID-19)
Dr. Ali Mansour Al-Amiri, says that the proposal contributes in solving this crisis and a way to recover from it can score an important point and a notable development in the records of Iraqi doctors in the field of this specialty.
Al-Amri explaines that the RNA-based polymerase is unique to the virus, that is, there is no similar molecule in human cells so he suggests experimenting with an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase as a therapeutic agent, since we have Suramin to share this effect with being a protease inhibitor, which is vital for the replication of corona viruses,
He adds that Suramin has significantly fewer side effects than chloroquine and its derivatives of hydroxychloroquine, and Suramin recently tried to treat COVID-19and the authors are still waiting for the results.
Another drug with more than 100 molecules has been tested by Iraqi authors from the University of Kufa using a protein study to test the ability of these molecules as an RNA inhibitor and / or protease inhibitor of COVID-19. Few effective molecules have been shown in this respect between the quinolone derivative, norfloxacin. The last factor has been suggested by the COVID-19Treatments Committee in the Kerbala Health Directorate recommending norfloxacin as an adjunct treatment to COVID-19 recently.
