Banana is one of the keywords on Google Alerts that keep me informed about the topics that interest me.
Sunday morning, in the midst of the confusion created by the presence of the Coronavirus in northern Italy, among the various notifications the following one arrives: “Antiviral compound could be used to fight influenza – A study in mice has found that a compound modelled on a protein found in bananas safely protects against multiple strains of the influenza virus”.
Thinking about a fake news I read it with distrust that soon gives way to amazement.
The source is authoritative the protein extracted from the pulp of the banana is a powerful antiviral.

“This mechanism of action (binding of high mannose sugars on the surface of viruses) means that H84T is effective not only against influenza, but also against Ebola, HIV, measles, MERS, SARS and all other coronaviruses tested”.

I immediately search for ‘H84T protein’ on Google, a world opens up to me, totally unknown to me, which talks about viruses (Ebola, MERS, SARS, HIV-1 and Coronavirus) and BanLect (Banana Lectin).
What is emerging, from a new study conducted by the Division of Infectious Diseases at Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan, US.
Is that bananas contain a protein that safely protects against multiple strains of the influenza virus.

The newly published study showed that an engineered compound based on a banana lectin, a protein called H84T, has real potential for clinical use against influenza.

 

BANANA AGAINST INFLUENZA

“Influenza is a huge problem, as the virus sickens or kills millions of people each year,” said Dr. David Markovitz, professor of internal medicine in the division of infectious diseases at Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan, US.
In their study, researchers examined a sample of mice is found that more than 80% of guinea pigs exposed to a form of influenza that is typically fatal were able to survive the disease after receiving an injection of the protein, even up to 72 hours after exposure.

 

THE BANANA AND H84T

The team also provided the first evidence that the compound is safe. Natural banana lectin can cause inflammation by inappropriately activating the immune system, but this was not present in the H84T-treated mice. In addition, there was concern that the body would recognize H84T as foreign and develop antibodies against it, but the team found that while the mice developed antibodies against H84T, they did not appear to be negatively affected by it.

The compound works because it targets a sugar called high mannose, which is present on the outside of some viruses but not on most healthy cells. “We were able to show that H84T blocks the ability of the influenza virus to fuse with structures called endosomes in the human cell, a key step in infection,” he explained.
‘By doing so, we disabled their ability to replicate and wreak havoc.

The scientists said they hope to do more research on the compound in humans in hopes of bringing it to market.

DAL BELLO SIFE: PRIDE AND SATISFACTION

I had heard stories before about the banana being an antiviral but now this study seems to back up those rumors. I repeat that I do not have the scientific expertise of the researcher. But after what I have read, I can say that from the pulp of the banana we extract H84T the protein that protects cells from the most dangerous viruses known.

As a company that has been working for a century in the field of importing exotic fruits and in particular in the marketing and ripening of bananas, this discovery gives us some satisfaction and adds further motivation for our work.

I have always maintained that banana is a noble fruit and it is reductive to consider it a commodity also in light of this new discovery.

As far as I’m concerned, I’ll eat a banana right away …

Alessandro Dal Bello
Senior Vice President
Dal Bello SIFE Srl