Source: Jakarta Globe
Researchers from Airlangga University, Government’s Covid-19 Task Force, and State Intelligence Agency (BIN) have claimed to have found combinations of medicine that effectively reduce the number of Sars-Cov-2, the coronavirus that causees Covid-19 disease, in the human body.
The researchers have submitted the result to several scientific journals for peer review.
“We have been conducting research on medicine combination regiment and two kinds of stem cells that quite good for eliminating the virus. We use the Sars-Cov-2 virus from Indonesia,” Purwati, the head of Airlangga University’s Stem Cell Research and Development Center, said on Friday.
Purwati said the first medicine combination comprises of Lopinavir, Ritonavir, and Azithromycin. The second combination includes of Lopinavir, Ritonavir, and Doxycycline. The third combination includes of Lopinavir, Ritonavir, and Clarithromycin. The fourth combination comprises of Hydroxychloroquine and Azithromycin. Meanwhile, the fifth combination comprises of Hydroxychloroquine and Doxycycline
“We have observed those combinations gradually from 24 hours, 48 hours, and 72 hours and it showed that the number of viruses lowered from hundreds of thousands to undetected,” she said in a virtual press conference.
Purwati said the researchers examined 14 medicine regiments in total, but only found that were effective against the novel coronavirus.
She also explained the researchers decided to use a combination regiment because it has better potency and effectiveness than the single regiment.
“The combination regiment also requires less dosage, one-fifth to one-third of the normal dosage, thus decrease the medicine toxicity in a healthy body,” Purwati added.
Purwati said the medicines used in the combinations are the ones that already in the market. The medication, she said, has been through various testing of National Drug and Food Control Agency (BPOM) such as in-vitro testing, animal testing, and post-marketing drug testing and obtained circulation permit.
She said the researchers had ensured the medicine compound safety through several steps.
“First, we ensure whether the medicine contained toxic or not. Second, we observe the medicine’s capability to kill the virus. Third, we check the medicine’s effectiveness and how long the effects could last. We also check the medicine’s inflammatory and anti-inflammatory factors,” Purwati said.
Aside from that, Airlangga University, Government’s Covid-19 Task Force and State Intelligence Agency have run research on two kinds of stem cells, natural-killer cell and hematopoietic cell.
“Based on the observation, the natural-killer cell and the hematopoietic cell can inactivate 80 percent to 90 percent of the virus within 48 hours to 72 hours,” Purwati said.
She said the cells had been taken from the patient’s blood with a breeding time of 3 to 4 days for hematopoietic cell and 7 to 14 days for the natural-killer cell. Purwanti said, for preventive settings, the natural-killer cell can last for approximately four months.
“We hope what we have been doing with the Covid-19 Task Force and BIN can be useful for Indonesia and the world. We have also disseminated this research by submitting seven journals about this research,” Purwati said.