Global Flu Worries Not Over
Recently, influenza A is the leading cause of respiratory disease outbreaks globally. There has been a report of consumers blindly hoarding Oseltamivir (Tamiflu), an antiviral that stops the spread of the flu in the body. It is mostly used for influenza A and B viruses.
As early as SARS in 2003 and the global bird flu pandemic in 2005, oseltamivir caused a stampede. It is a neuraminidase inhibitor, a competitive inhibitor of influenza s neuraminidase enzyme. The enzyme cleaves the sialic acid which is found on glycoproteins on the surface of human cells that helps new virions to exit the cell. Thus it prevents new viral particles from being released.
As shikimic acid contained in the herb star anise is a key ingredient for the formulation of Tamiflu, there was a rumor that star anise can cure bird flu, causing consumers to buy star anise.
