Since India continues to be wrecked by the pandemic, a Swansea University academic is investigating how green tea could give rise to a drug capable of dealing with Covid-19.

According to the study, published in the journal ‘RSC Advances’, green tea could help in tackling COVID-19. A compound found in green tea called gallocatechin may help in the development of a drug that can combat the SARS-CoV-2. A Swansea University academic is investigating how green tea could give rise to a drug capable of tackling the deadly disease.

Dr Suresh Mohankumar carried out the research with colleagues in India during his time at JSS College of Pharmacy, JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research in Ooty prior to taking up his current role at Swansea University Medical School. He said, “Nature’s oldest pharmacy has always been a treasure of potential novel drugs and we questioned if any of these compounds could assist us in battling the Covid-19 pandemic?” The researchers screened and sorted a library of natural compounds already known to be active against other coronaviruses using an artificial intelligence aided computer programme.

“Our findings suggested that one of the compounds in green tea could combat the coronavirus behind Covid-19,” Dr Mohankumar said. Associate Professor Dr Mohankumar emphasised that the research was still in its early days and a long way from any kind of clinical application. “The compound that our model predicts to be most active is gallocatechin, which is present in green tea and could be readily available, accessible, and affordable.

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