-
- The study published in the Lancet Infectious Diseases, says that Methylene blue, used as medication and dye, could act as a safe anti-malarial that kills malaria parasites at an unprecedented rate.
- Malaria infects more than 200 million people and causes more than 430,000 deaths across the globe every year.
What is Methylene blue - It is a blue dye that is used in labs to distinguish dead cells from living cells.
- The results from a clinical trial have revealed that malaria patients who were treated with a combination of the blue dye and artemisinin-based combination therapy were cured of the disease within two days.
- The patients no longer transmitted the parasite if they are bitten again by a mosquito.
- The reasercchears associated with the clinical trial, said that Methylene blue is very promising, because it can prevent the spread of malaria within such a short time following treatment
- Methylene blue also works well in species that are resistant to certain medicines.
- Side effect: The use of Methylene blue turns the urine bright blue. It could stop effected people from using it.