All you need to know about the new anti-viral drug for dengue

Lucknow-based Central Drug Research Institute (CSIR-CDRI) scientists claim to have created a drug to cure dengue. According to reports, a Mumbai-based pharmaceutical major has obtained the Drug Controller General of India (DGCI) approval to carry out human trials of the medicine.

Presently, there is no known drug for the treatment of dengue. Patients are cured based on their symptoms.

Here's all we know about the new drug:

1. The drug which is called AQCH is anti-viral in nature and has been derived from plants. It was successfully tested in labs and on mice.

2. Human trials will be conducted at one medical college each in Kanpur, Lucknow, Agra, Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Aurangabad, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Mangalore, Belgaum, Chennai, Jaipur, Chandigarh, Visakahapatnam, Cuttack, Khurda and Nathdwara.

3. At each centre, a total of 100 patients will be enrolled for trials.

4. A dengue patient should be at least 18 years of age to be eligible for trials. Additionally, infection in the patient should have been confirmed 48 hours before the testing.

5. The patient will be kept in hospital for eight days, during which he will be administered the drug for seven days. He will be kept under observation for 17 days after being given the medicine.