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What is oleandrin, the compound touted as a possible COVID-19 treatment?

C&E Chemical and Engineering News

Originally Posted: August 20, 2020

Robert Harrod, a virologist in the SMU Department of Biological Sciences, has studied oleandrin’s ability to block human T-cell leukemia virus, type 1, a retrovirus that causes fatal blood cancer, from spreading to other cells in test tubes.

“Even if (oleandrin) does make it into treatment of coronavirus as a therapeutic, this is going to have to be monitored very closely by doctors,” Harrod says. “It is a very dangerous compound.”

https://cen.acs.org/biological-chemistry/natural-products/oleandrin-compound-touted-possible-COVID/98/web/2020/08