[Jenn Broekman]

Jenn Broekman  asked the Naked Scientists:

Dear Chris,
 
I'm slowly working my way through a backlog of the Naked Scientist episodes, and I just listened to the first part of the May 4th episode.  

I was intrigued by the anti-viral chemical from Samoan plants that's being used (or tested for use) to flush out HIV-infected cells so they can be killed by other drugs. Would the same chemical work to flush out cells infected by the chicken pox virus, and thereby prevent shingles?

Jenn Broekman

What do you think?

[wannabe]

Jenn, reading through some of the posts I find with a google search reveals that native use in Samoa is treatment of, among other conditions, hepatitis. Therefore prostratrin could have value in 'flushing out' other viruses that 'hide' such as chicken pox, HVS and who knows what more.
Potential for toxicity is a concern as can be read  about in the article posted here: http://newsroom.byuh.edu/node/78