In a recent study published in the Virology Journal , a group of researchers evaluated the antiviral efficacy and therapeutic potential of harmol in treating herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) induced keratitis, including drug-resistant strains, and its ability to enhance the effects of acyclovir (ACV). Study: Harmol used for the treatment of herpes simplex virus induced keratitis . Image Credit: STEKLO/Shutterstock.
com Herpes simplex keratitis (HSK) is a common eye infection characterized by corneal damage, leading to opacity and visual impairment. The incidence of HSK is 10-30 per 100,000 in developed countries and higher in developing regions. Untreated HSK can cause blindness and potentially fatal encephalitis.
It is primarily associated with HSV-1 infection. ACV is the standard treatment, but rising drug resistance, especially in immunocompromised patients, necessitates new therapies. Harmol, a β-carboline alkaloid found in several medicinal plants, has shown antiviral properties.
Further research is needed to fully understand harmol's mechanisms of action, optimize its therapeutic potential, and evaluate its long-term safety and efficacy in diverse patient populations. Vero cells from the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) were maintained in Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium (DMEM) with 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS). HSV-1 F strain and ACV-resistant HSV-1/153 were provided at Jingling Hospital, China, and initially isolated at the Guangzhou Institutes of Biom.
