Now that the cold and flu season is here we’re not only worried about bird flu, most of us are concerned about catching the ordinary, everyday cold. The idea that failure to bundle up against the elements can lead to sneezes and sniffles has been around for ages, but has been dismissed as an old wives’ tale. However, a recent study supports the folklore that links chills to the common cold.
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The Journal of Nanotechnology reports that silver nanoparticles kill HIV-1, the virus that causes AIDS, and will probably kill other viruses as well, including the virus that causes bird flu. But it’s still not known how, if these extremely tiny particles can be put into a form that can be injected into the human body, they will able to target the viruses that need to be destroyed.
Freemarketnews.com says that when the silver nanoparticles were introduced into a dish containing the HIV virus, 100% of the virus was killed within three hours. Silver may also be a useful weapon against superbugs?bacteria that develop resistance to most antibiotics. Silver is already used as a topical antibiotic.
Art credit: http://www.freeimages.co.uk
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Star anise, a common spice used in Chinese cooking that can be found on in the Asian section of many grocery stores, is the main ingredient in Tamiflu, which so far is the only antidote to the symptoms of bird flu.
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One thing that is consistent about viruses is that they constantly mutate. This is why new flu vaccines have to be produced every year. Now it’s been announced that avian flu has reached Europe?that’s the bad news about viruses. The good news? The virus that causes HIV, which leads to AIDS, is getting weaker.
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