There’s not much you can do when you get a cold, is there? Mainline Lemsip, surround yourself with horrible snotty tissues, go into work when you probably shouldn’t and infect all your co-workers whilst moaning about how shit you feel and how you definitely shouldn’t be at work. That’s about it, really.
But now scientists think they’ve FINALLY found the cure to the common cold – and it’s all based on molecules that already live in our systems.
Scientists from Edinburgh Napier University found that “antimicrobial peptides”, present in both animals and humans, had properties that could “combat rhinovirus” – the virus responsible for all that snot.
They now think they can develop drugs that could help get rid of the cold – as well as help people with serious, chronic lung conditions like asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, “for whom viral infections can be extremely serious”.
“This is an exciting development,” said Peter Barlow, who lead the research. “There’s no cure and no vaccine so the development of effective therapies for human rhinovirus, the main causal agent of the common cold, and one of the most common causes of viral respiratory tract infections, is an urgent requirement.”
“This study represents a major step towards finding a treatment.”
Until the drug is available – which will take several years – the NHS say you should drink loads of fluids, take painkillers and gargle salt water. They don’t technically recommend sitting in bed for eight hours watching Netflix and whining to anyone who’ll listen, but that also DEFINITELY works.
(Image: iStock)
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