Herbaceous poisons against toxoplasmosis

2008/03/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Biokimika
• Mikrobiologia

Scientists have discovered that the protozoo causing toxoplasmosis has a characteristic of plants. This protozoo lives in animals as a parasite and, due to its similarities with the host, the drugs used to destroy it also kill the animal cells. But since the protozoo of toxoplasmosis has a characteristic of the plant, herbaceous poisons can be used to destroy the plants so as not to damage the animal cells after their death.

The protozoo causing toxoplasmosis and plants use the same communication system to reproduce and spread. In particular, scientists have found that they use the same hormone to control the times of activity and lethargy: abcisic acid. In fact, herb poisons prevent the production of this hormone. By attacking the protozoan of toxoplasmosis with herbaceous poisons, they have found that it enters the period of lethargy, without damaging animal cells. This light prevents communication between protozoa and breaks its reproduction.