Health Rounds: Flu drug with compound found in chocolate tops Tamiflu in early study

By Nancy Lapid

Aug 5 (Reuters) - Hello Health Rounds readers! Today we feature an exciting early laboratory study that could lead to a new way of targeting influenza and many other viruses. We also report on an encouraging update regarding colorectal cancer screenings for people under age 50.

Experimental flu drug includes compound found in chocolate

An experimental flu-fighting drug combination that includes a compound found in chocolate is more effective than the current most commonly used influenza treatment, researchers reported in PNAS.

In test tubes and in animal experiments, the combination of theobromine and arainosine was more effective than Roche’s ROG.S Tamiflu against even the deadliest flu strains, including bird flu and swine flu, the researchers said.

Theobromine is a stimulant naturally found in cacao plants. Its name is derived from the Greek words for “food of the gods.”

Theobromine plus arainosine – a synthetic compound that interferes with the ability of cells to repair themselves – together target proteins on the virus that serve as pathways for ions to travel in and out. Without functioning ion channels, the virus can’t survive.

Existing drugs typically target a viral protein that mutates frequently, rendering treatments less effective over time, the researchers said.

“We’re not just offering a better flu drug,” study leader Isaiah Arkin of Hebrew University in Jerusalem said in a statement. “We’re introducing a new way to target viruses... that may help us prepare for future pandemics.”

Because many viruses, including coronaviruses, also rely on ion channels, this new approach could form the basis of future antiviral strategies, the researchers said.

Colorectal cancer diagnoses surge with earlier screenings

U.S. diagnoses of early-stage colorectal cancers rose steeply among 45- to 49-year-olds during 2019 to 2022, after new guidelines called for screening in that age group, according to new research from the American Cancer Society.

The surge included a 50% relative increase from 11.7 to 17.5 cases per 100,000 people of that age from 2021 to 2022, researchers found.

The increase in diagnoses was largely attributable to detection of early-stage tumors, which increased by 18.8% annually from 2019 to 2022 for colon cancers and by 25.1% per year for rectal cancers.

The finding “is promising news because the uptick of cases is likely due to first-time screening in the wake of new recommendations for younger average-risk adults to begin testing for colorectal cancer earlier,” study leader Elizabeth Schafer of the ACS said in a statement.

Earlier detection of these cancers often leads to better outcomes for patients, health experts say.

The recommended age to begin colorectal cancer screening was lowered to 45 from 50 years by the ACS in 2018 and by the United States Preventive Services Task Force in 2021.

A second study in JAMA found that colorectal cancer screening among U.S. adults 45-49 years of age increased by 62% from 2019 to 2023.

“It’s not only thrilling to see the increase in colorectal cancer screening among younger adults, but also how it likely ties into rises in earlier stage diagnosis as noted in the other ACS led paper,” Jessica Star of the ACS, who led the second study, said in a statement.

“However, we still have a long way to go. Screening for colorectal cancer in ages 45-49 remains suboptimal and has not increased equitably by both" education and insurance coverage status.

A third paper in JAMA reports on a randomized trial testing various methods for encouraging more screening.

Among 20,500 participants, sending an unsolicited stool test kit by mail was the most effective way to boost screening rates for adults ages 45 to 49 years.

However, those authors said, “overall screening rates were low, underscoring the need for more effective strategies to engage this age group.”