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Herald Sun (Australia) August 30, 2007 Thursday FIRST Edition BUSINESS; Pg. 83 418 words Needles from top scientist John Beveridge
THE threat of a global pandemic of bird flu may prove to be a net positive for society, according to a world leader in infectious diseases.
Professor Anatoly Zhebrun, director of the Pasteur Institute in St Petersburg, said a dangerous apathy had been developing towards infectious diseases.
As scientific research and mass immunisation largely removed diseases such as polio and diptheria, it was assumed that there would be an instant answer to all pandemics.
''Society just forgot about the need for continual research until the threat of this bird flu pandemic once again lifted it to the level of national leaders,'' Prof Zhebrun said yesterday.
''They agreed to an international system to fight bird flu and the media is quick to let everyone know when there is a case of bird flu reported.''
Prof Zhebrun said a similar international approach was needed to more tightly regulate the use of existing antibiotics, given the increasing number of resistant bacteria strains.
''There is a tremendous amount of research to be done by microbiologists,'' he said.
However, Prof Zhebrun foreshadowed a return to some of the more historical and natural methods of treating and preventing chronic health problems.
So rather than specific, powerful molecules that ''zap'' an infection, plant-derived large compounds with fewer side-effects may play an increasing role in fighting disease.
One dear to him is research he is doing into Bioeffective A, a compound that is isolated from pine needles.
It is part of a suite of products that are being developed by Melbourne biotechnology company Solagran, which sponsored Prof Zhebrun's visit.
So far, tests have shown the treatment is very promising in treating infection by the helicobacter pylori bacterium.
Two Australian scientists, Barry Marshall and Robin Warren, were awarded the Nobel Prize for Science in 2005 after proving that stomach ulcers were caused by H.pylori.
Prof Zhebrun believes the same bacteria also causes many other gastric complications, including atrophic gastritis and cancer and lymphoma of the stomach.
About 60 per cent of people are infected with the bacteria but may not show immediate symptoms.
Apart from the potential stomach ulcer remedy, Solagran has been granted Russian pharmaceutical approval to sell another derivative of pine needles called Ropren.
It has been found to be effective in treating chronic liver disease and shows promise in normalising cholesterol levels and as a treatment for forms of dementia.
Solagran shares fell 1.5 to $1.14. August 29, 2007
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