Lesley Cowling
THE scientific community in South Africa=20 and internationally are speculating that=20 the active ingredient of Virodene is an=20 industrial solvent called dimethylformamide=20 (DMF). DMF is used in laboratories to=20 “denature” DNA, a process that releases it=20 from its double strand shape.
Medical researchers say DMF is also the=20 agent used by Pretoria researcher Olga=20 Visser in her research on freezing rat=20 hearts. Visser has been quoted as saying=20 she discovered the active agent of Virodene=20 while conducting her own research, and in=20 the process, accidentally killing a virus.
One expert said that if the Virodene=20 patches that were given to Aids patients in=20 a drug trial contained DMF, that would=20 account for the burning sensation patients=20 reported. Also, the molecules of DMF were=20 fairly small, which squares with Visser’s=20 explanation that Virodene worked because=20 the molecules were small enough to=20 penetrate the walls of cells infected with=20 HIV.
Another medical expert said DMF in the body=20 would be able to enter cells and destroy=20 the virus. However, since it causes damage=20 to DNA, it is likely to cause damage to=20 human DNA as well as the DNA of HIV.
Some researchers say this means DMF would=20 have side effects, but how much damage it=20 did to the body would depend on the dosage.
Visser`s public relations representative,=20 Larry Heidebrecht, refused to confirm or=20 deny the speculation.=20