Nigerian scientist unveils potent antiviral against coxsackievirus

An expert in virology has identified a novel antiviral compound that could pave the way for effective treatments against serious viral infections.

Dr. Oluwatayo Israel Olasunkanmi, a virologist with a PhD from Harbin Medical University in China, in an interactive session with news men has groundbreaking research demonstrating the antiviral efficacy of ethyl 3-hydroxyhexanoate (EHX) against Coxsackievirus B, a virus responsible for a range of severe diseases, including viral myocarditis, dilated cardiomyopathy, and meningitis.**

**Coxsackievirus B (CVB) belongs to the Enterovirus genus, known for its ability to cause various life-threatening conditions, particularly among children and young adults. Despite the significant health burden associated with CVB infections, no specific antiviral treatments have been approved to date. Dr. Olasunkanmi’s discovery offers hope for a novel therapeutic strategy that could address this critical gap in medical treatment.

Ethyl 3-hydroxyhexanoate (EHX), the compound identified by Dr. Olasunkanmi and his team, is a naturally occurring volatile ester found in several fruits, such as pineapples, oranges, and grapes. Traditionally recognized for its presence in food additives, EHX has now been revealed as a potent antiviral agent capable of inhibiting CVB replication in both laboratory and animal studies.

*The study, published in *Frontiers in Microbiology, outlines how EHX effectively disrupts the viral RNA replication process, a critical step in the lifecycle of the Coxsackievirus. Laboratory tests demonstrated that EHX has a 50% effective concentration (EC50) of 1.2 μM and a 50% cytotoxicity (CC50) of 25.6 μM, yielding a selective index (SI) value of 20.8, which indicates a strong antiviral effect with minimal toxicity to healthy cells.**

*Dr. Olasunkanmi, whose academic journey began with a Bachelor’s degree in Medical Laboratory Science from Ladoke Akintola University of Technology in Nigeria, has dedicated his career to studying viral pathogens. His research focuses on the development of antiviral strategies that can be both effective and safe for human use, a goal that has driven the search for natural compounds like EHX.*

The research highlights the potential of using natural products, particularly those already approved for human consumption, as a basis for developing new antiviral therapies. The safety of EHX, already established as a food additive by the World Health Organization (WHO) and other regulatory bodies, positions it as a promising candidate for further development as a therapeutic agent.**

*One of the most compelling aspects of this discovery is the fact that EHX has been shown to effectively reduce the viral load in infected cells without significant side effects. This makes it a potential game-changer in the treatment of CVB-related diseases, which currently lack targeted antiviral therapies.*

**The study’s co-authors, including researchers from Harbin Medical University’s Departments of Microbiology and Cell Biology, emphasize the importance of finding new ways to combat viral diseases, especially in an era where viral mutations and emerging pathogens pose ongoing challenges to public health.

Current antiviral treatments often face limitations due to the rapid development of drug resistance among RNA viruses, as well as concerns about the toxicity of synthetic compounds.

The identification of EHX offers a potential alternative that could sidestep some of these issues, thanks to its natural origins and established safety profile.**

**Furthermore, the research team conducted virtual screening and docking studies to predict how EHX interacts with the viral proteins responsible for RNA replication.

These studies confirmed that EHX targets a key viral enzyme, making it a precise and effective inhibitor of the virus’s ability to multiply.**

*Dr. Olasunkanmi’s work has opened the door to further exploration of EHX and related compounds as antiviral agents. The research community is already looking into optimizing the compound’s efficacy and exploring its potential use against other RNA viruses within the Enterovirus genus.*

*As the world continues to grapple with viral epidemics and pandemics, the need for new antiviral agents has never been more urgent. This discovery underscores the potential of natural products as a source of innovative treatments, offering new hope in the fight against viral diseases that have long resisted conventional therapies.*

Moving forward, Dr. Olasunkanmi and his colleagues are advocating for clinical trials to test EHX’s efficacy in humans.

If successful, this compound could become a cornerstone of new antiviral therapies, particularly for diseases where treatment options are currently limited.