Common cold virus attacked!

The common cold virus, which accounts for the maximum visits to the doctor's clinic, may finally be under siege by an antibiotic that claims to destroy the virus and cure the cold rather than just masking its symptoms. A new drug called Pleconaril, developed by scientists at the University of Virginia, has shown promise in the treatment of cold in about 2096 people suffering from cold, who volunteered to consume the experimental drug. Half of these patients were given the drug while the other half were given dummy medicines. The researchers found that those patients who were given the experimental drug reported relief within 24 hours of taking the drug and their cold was cured a day earlier than those who were given placebos. The effects of the drug have been termed "significant" by experts since the reduction of a day of discomfort in a condition that lasts only for a few days, is of considerable importance. The drug acts by blocking the function of picornaviruses, a group of viruses that cause common colds. Of these, rhinoviruses are the commonest culprits. Viral infections are often harder to treat than any other kind because viruses lodge themselves inside the body's cells and replicate there. The drug lodges itself in the outer skin of the virus thus decapacitating its entry into the cell. There were no reported side effects of the drug, apart from a slight increase in cholesterol levels of some patients, which is of no "clinical significance". However, since the drug has still not undergone human clinical trials, it may not be available for public use for many months yet. It is currently being considered for approval by the US FDA. Some experts believe that the Pleconaril may also be effective in other viral conditions like viral meningitis and middle-ear infections, though this property still needs to be thoroughly investigated.

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