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Keywords

Nutraceuticals and Influenza, Influenza Treatments, Flu Treatments, Alternative Influenza Treatments, Alternative Flu Treatments, Jamaican Sorrel, Black Currant Berries, Manuka Honey, Bee Pollen

Abstract

Influenza virus is a contagious respiratory pathogen that infects hundreds of thousands of people a year, making it a serious global health concern. The virus has a rapid mutation rate and has developed resistance to current antiviral agents, making it a difficult target for effective treatment. There is an increasing need to identify new treatments for Influenza. Recently, we have tested nutraceuticals as an effective alternative for blocking Influenza. We have tested Jamaican Sorrel, Black Currant Berries, and Manuka Honey paired with Bee Pollen for antiviral activity. We have demonstrated that these nutraceuticals block the 2009 Pandemic California Influenza strain between a concentration range of 1:8-1:16 dilution. Stock solutions of these nutraceuticals have been extracted with water to create a roughly 300 milliosmole solution. They are then neutralized with HEPES buffer, 1N HCl and1N NaOH.

Document Type

Poster

Publication Date

2018-03-14

Language

English

College

Life Sciences

Department

Physiology and Developmental Biology

University Standing at Time of Publication

Junior

Course

495R-Advanced Undergraduate Research

Nutraceuticals: An Alternative Treatment for Influenza Virus

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