Prozac as an Antiviral?

[SpecialK82]

New research on Prozac - may help against enteroviruses/cocksackie:

Read full article here: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/08/03/prozac-may-be-able-to-kill-some-viruses/


"Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, have discovered an unexpected property of fluoxetine, the antidepressant drug marketed asProzac

. In laboratory tests on cell cultures, the drug appears to have antiviral properties, particularly against human enteroviruses, a genus of potential killers that includes poliovirus."


"One compound,fluoxetine

, stood out. In a series of follow-up laboratory tests on virus samples, the researchers found that fluoxetine interferes with the growth and replication of coxsackieviruses, a prominent subtype of enteroviruses. "No one could have expected this antiviral propertya priori," Damoiseaux told LiveScience.
The researchers repeated the experiment on several kinds of coxsackieviruses with similar, successful results. Without being able to reproduce, theseinvading viruses

simply would die off."

 

[GracieJ]

Having come close to suicide on Prozac in the early 90s, I am not the least happy to hear this.

First thought that came to mind... maybe they should try just the fluorine...

Forgive me for being a little flippant. Could this become another series of studies that becomes high-profile, highly funded, highly fast-tracked? Will be watching.

Good old garlic kills the polio virus. You will never hear that in the news, though.

I wonder what Prozac would do to the viruses outside of the lab dish and in living human tissue.