“Japanese Researchers Discover Method to Prevent Future Pandemics with Ethanol Vapor Inhalation, According to Study Published in Journal of Infectious Diseases”

by time news

2023-04-27 10:31:44

pte20230427030 Medicine/Wellness, Research/Development

According to Japanese researchers, future pandemics can even be prevented in this way

Ethanol: vapor effective for fighting viruses in mouse model (Photo: pixabay.com, Ri Butov)

Okinawa (pte030/27.04.2023/10:30) –

Breathing low concentrations of ethanol vapor in mice inactivates the influenza A virus without harmful side effects, a study by the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology shows. According to the researchers, similar viruses can also be treated with this method. This includes the virus that causes COVID-19. Tsumoru Shintake who the Quantum Wave Microscopy Unit the university, developed the new approach together with Hiroki Ishikawa, the head of the Immune Signal Unitalready successfully tested.

Effective disinfectant

According to co-researcher Miho Tamai, ethanol is an effective disinfectant that is already being used on the surface of the body. The scientists therefore wanted to find out whether a corresponding effectiveness also exists inside the body. For this purpose, ethanol vapor was produced in a small container using an air humidifier. When mice were infected with influenza A and then inhaled the vapor for 10 minutes, the virus was deactivated.

The influenza A viruses accumulate in a thin liquid layer covering the lung cells that line the surface of the airways. The researchers theorize that the ethanol vapor increases the concentration of ethanol in the liquid to 20 percent for an infection to be successfully treated. This concentration proved to be non-toxic in laboratory tests with mice. At body temperature, a 20 percent concentration of ethanol can not only inactivate the influenza A virus, but also prevent the virus from replicating inside these cells.

Broad effectiveness proven

According to Ishikawa, the approach can certainly be used in the next pandemic. Shintake emphasizes that the effectiveness of this procedure does not depend on the particular variant of the virus. He even assumes that this procedure could stop a future pandemic. However, the scientists advise against trying to treat yourself with ethanol vapor. According to Ishikawa, there could be serious side effects or a risk of an explosion. Details were published in the “Journal of Infectious Diseases”.

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