Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Feb 28, 2026 1 hour, 56 minutes ago
Medical News: A surprising discovery shows how two old veterinary drugs may stop dangerous childhood viruses in their tracks
Enteroviruses are a group of common viruses that usually cause mild illness, but in some cases they can trigger severe complications such as meningitis, encephalitis, heart inflammation, and even paralysis. One of the most feared strains is Enterovirus 71, known for causing hand, foot and mouth disease in young children and, in rare cases, fatal brain infections. Despite decades of research, there are still no approved antiviral drugs specifically designed to treat most enterovirus infections.
Common veterinary ionophore drugs may stop dangerous enteroviruses by neutralizing the acidic environment
they need to infect cells
Now, scientists from the Department of Biotechnology and Laboratory Science in Medicine at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University in Taipei, Taiwan, have uncovered promising evidence that two existing compounds, monensin and salinomycin, may offer a powerful new strategy against these viruses. This
Medical News report highlights how these drugs appear to disrupt a critical step in the virus life cycle.
How the Viruses Sneak into Cells
Enteroviruses infect the body by attaching to cells and entering them through tiny compartments called endolysosomes. These compartments are naturally acidic, meaning they have a low pH. That acidic environment acts like a trigger, allowing the virus to release its genetic material and begin replicating inside the cell.
The Taiwanese research team discovered that monensin and salinomycin interfere with this acid-based trigger. Instead of directly attacking the virus, the drugs change the internal environment of the cell, making it less acidic. Without the necessary acidity, the virus struggles to enter properly and cannot efficiently reproduce.
Strong Antiviral Effects at Low Doses
Laboratory experiments showed that both drugs reduced Enterovirus 71 infection in a dose-dependent manner. Monensin was particularly potent, cutting viral activity by half at a concentration of just 0.25 micromolar. Salinomycin required a slightly higher concentration of 1.49 micromolar to achieve the same effect.
Importantly, the researchers confirmed that these antiviral effects were not simply due to toxicity. The concentrations needed to harm cells were far higher than those required to block the virus. This indicates a meaningful therapeutic window, especially for monensin, which showed a very high selectivity index, suggesting strong antiviral activity relative to cell toxicity.
Blocking Entry and Viral Maturation
Further testing revealed that the drugs mainly act during the early stage of infection, when the virus is trying to enter the cell. Interestingly, they did not stop the virus from attaching to the cell surface or being internalized. Instead, they interfered with what happens after entry, specifically the acid-dependent uncoating process inside the endolysosome.
When re
searchers artificially restored acidic conditions, the virus regained its ability to infect cells, confirming that acidity is the key factor being disrupted.
The study also showed that monensin and salinomycin block a later step called viral maturation. During this stage, viral proteins must be cleaved in an acidic environment to form fully infectious virus particles. By neutralizing the acidity inside cellular vesicles, the drugs prevented this essential maturation step, further reducing viral spread.
Broad Spectrum Potential
The researchers did not limit their work to Enterovirus 71. They also tested the drugs against Coxsackievirus A16, Coxsackievirus B3, and Echovirus 9. Both compounds demonstrated broad-spectrum antiviral activity, though monensin consistently showed stronger effects and a wider safety margin.
A Promising but Early Step
While these findings are exciting, the drugs are currently approved only for veterinary use or cancer research applications. Animal studies in other viral infections have shown mixed results, meaning more research is needed before considering human antiviral use. Delivery methods, dosing strategies, and safety must be carefully evaluated.
In conclusion, the study provides compelling evidence that altering the acidic environment inside cells can effectively block enterovirus infection at multiple stages. By targeting host cell conditions rather than the virus directly, monensin and salinomycin may reduce the risk of viral resistance and offer a broad-spectrum strategy against multiple enterovirus strains. Although further preclinical and clinical studies are essential, this approach opens a new and potentially powerful pathway for combating viruses that currently lack specific treatments.
The study findings were published in the peer reviewed journal: Archives of Virology.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00705-026-06563-y
For the latest on antivirals for enteroviruses, keep on logging to Thailand
Medical News.
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