It's one of the more bizarre cures, to say the least: Scientists discover the illegal drug meth could fight the flu



Meth-exposed cells had far fewer influenza viruses left alive, compared to those not exposed

Doctors not recommending taking drug in current form but hope it will provide cures for future treatment

As unlikely cures go, it’s certainly up there with the strangest.

Scientists in Taiwan have discovered that methamphetamine – one of the most widely used addictive drugs - may also have flu-fighting properties.

The negative effects of the drug, thought to be used by around 30 million people worldwide, are well-known.



Not only has it been shown to cause irreversible damage to blood vessels in the brain, producing strokes, it can also result in cardiac arrest and death.



Methamphetamine - one of the most widely used addictive drugs (pictured here in crystal form) - may also have flu-fighting properties

Yet researchers from the National Health Research Institutes and Linkou and Chang Gung University have found it may have a rare positive quality, too.

Obviously, the researchers did not recommend taking the drug in its currently available form.

But it is hoped the findings will help harness exactly what property meth has in order to help people fight the flu virus.

Meth-exposed cells had far fewer influenza viruses (pictured) left alive, compared to those not exposed

Previous research has suggested that chronic methamphetamine abuse makes individuals more susceptible to pathogens such as HIV. The team wanted to investigate how the drug might reduce users' resistance to flu viruses.



The researchers obtained human lung epithelial cells, which line the surface of the lungs. These were then exposed to methamphetamine in varying quantities before being exposed to influenza A. This is the type that often cause epidemics and pandemics of respiratory illnesses.

After 30 to 48 hours, the researchers had found that the meth-exposed cells had far fewer influenza viruses left alive, compared to the control group of regular human lung epithelial cells.



And the more meth used, the less the virus reproduced.

'We report the first evidence that meth significantly reduces, rather than increases, virus propagation and the susceptibility to influenza infection in the human lung epithelial cell line,' lead researcher Yun-Hsiang Chen wrote.

The study was published in the journal PLoS One.



