taking herbicides stops malaria

From: avatar (avatar@renegadeclothing.com.au)
Date: Fri Jan 31 2003 - 16:14:16 MST


>From The Age Feb 1 2003

"Melbourne Breakthrough

New Malaria Drugs Move a Step Closer

Australian scientists have moved a step closer to finding new, more effective anti-malaria drugs based on common herbicides.

Researchers at Melbourne University and the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute have identified 500 points on the malaria DNA where drugs could shut the parasite down. The research was published yesterday in the journal Science and comes four months after the genome of the malaria parasite was mapped. Geoff McFadden, from the University of Melbourne's School of Botany, said the genome provided a list of more than 5,000 proteins, and Melbourne researchers had now proved 10 per cent had a plant-type biochemistry. Associate professor McFadden said the actions of these proteins could be stopped by plant-killing compounds, such as herbicides. The plant-type structures do not exist in humans so it is thought they could be shut down without harming the body. He said existing anti-malarial drugs built up a parasite resistance."

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