Title |
In Vitro Characterization of a Nineteenth-Century Therapy for Smallpox
|
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Published in |
PLOS ONE, March 2012
|
DOI | 10.1371/journal.pone.0032610 |
Pubmed ID | |
Authors |
William Arndt, Chandra Mitnik, Karen L. Denzler, Stacy White, Robert Waters, Bertram L. Jacobs, Yvan Rochon, Victoria A. Olson, Inger K. Damon, Jeffrey O. Langland |
Abstract |
In the nineteenth century, smallpox ravaged through the United States and Canada. At this time, a botanical preparation, derived from the carnivorous plant Sarracenia purpurea, was proclaimed as being a successful therapy for smallpox infections. The work described characterizes the antipoxvirus activity associated with this botanical extract against vaccinia virus, monkeypox virus and variola virus, the causative agent of smallpox. Our work demonstrates the in vitro characterization of Sarracenia purpurea as the first effective inhibitor of poxvirus replication at the level of early viral transcription. With the renewed threat of poxvirus-related infections, our results indicate Sarracenia purpurea may act as another defensive measure against Orthopoxvirus infections. |
X Demographics
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
United States | 101 | 15% |
Netherlands | 22 | 3% |
France | 15 | 2% |
Canada | 14 | 2% |
Turkey | 7 | 1% |
Australia | 6 | <1% |
Japan | 4 | <1% |
United Kingdom | 4 | <1% |
Belgium | 3 | <1% |
Other | 28 | 4% |
Unknown | 463 | 69% |
Demographic breakdown
Type | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Members of the public | 645 | 97% |
Practitioners (doctors, other healthcare professionals) | 11 | 2% |
Scientists | 6 | <1% |
Science communicators (journalists, bloggers, editors) | 4 | <1% |
Unknown | 1 | <1% |
Mendeley readers
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
United States | 3 | 5% |
Unknown | 52 | 95% |
Demographic breakdown
Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Researcher | 9 | 16% |
Student > Doctoral Student | 7 | 13% |
Student > Bachelor | 7 | 13% |
Other | 5 | 9% |
Student > Ph. D. Student | 3 | 5% |
Other | 9 | 16% |
Unknown | 15 | 27% |
Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 10 | 18% |
Medicine and Dentistry | 8 | 15% |
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology | 6 | 11% |
Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutical Science | 3 | 5% |
Chemistry | 2 | 4% |
Other | 7 | 13% |
Unknown | 19 | 35% |