Scientists discovered a protein called retrocyclin-101 (RC-101) which is not only capable to treat influenza symptoms, but also lessen the death rate which occurs due to flu infection. It can also help reduce the inflammation which occurs in the patient’s body suffering from the flu virus.
A research has been conducted on the result of using RC-101 before and found it can be used to improve influenza symptoms, but never has been used on animals.
Daniel J Prantner , a research partner at the University of Maryland, said
"Every year, thousands of people across the country die from the flu or its complications - despite widespread use of annual influenza vaccines."
He added
"We think that this protein could lead to medicines that could be a powerful tool in the battle against this disease, and against inflammation in general."
According to a research released in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology, scientists have already used RC-101 on human cells and in mice. Two positive results have been found after using RC-101 on human immune cells.
- RC-101 successfully prevented the flu virus from infecting or damage human cells.
- It was also capable to reduce inflammation including some other symptoms like pain, fever, lethargy and shortness of breathing that generally happen due to the impact of influenza infection.
In case of animal trial, dangerous influenza virus has been injected into two groups of mice. Five days after infection, one group has got RC-101 protein, while another got placebo treatment. The first group of mice treated with RC-101 showed fewer death rates; only 20 percent mice died, while 90 percent mice in second group with placebo treatment died.
However RC-101 protein is not available in human body, it can be obtained from some other animals like orangutans.