Ingredient from Chestnut Tree Found to be Safe for Dengue Fever Patients

In a finding that could lead to development of new therapies for dengue fever, researchers have found that an ingredient called Celgosivir, which is present in the seeds of the Moreton Bay Chestnut tree, is safe among people infected with the dengue virus. Researchers from Singapore General Hospital (SGH) and Duke - NUS Graduate Medical School (Duke - NUS) studied the participants for the study for five days, during which time they received either the placebo or Celgosivir. They continued to be followed up on days 7, 10 and 15 at the outpatient clinics where clinical histories and blood were taken. A physical examination of the patient was also done during these sessions.

Principal Investigator of the study, Dr Jenny Low, said that they found that the drug regimen in their CELADEN study was well - tolerated. And because dengue virus is cleared from the blood within three to five days and fever subsides in the same period, a regimen with more frequent dosing would be tested in the next phase of the trial to see its therapeutic effect.

SingHealth and Duke - NUS have signed an exclusive licensing agreement with 60 Degrees Pharmaceuticals to evaluate the efficacy and safety of an alternate dosing regimen as well as combination drug treatments in dengue patients. The NUS Industry Liaison Office, which is part of NUS Enterprise, took the lead in coordinating and facilitating this multi-party collaboration and the license negotiation.

The findings are published in the medical journal Lancet Infectious Diseases.

Source-ANI