Cows’ milk can be potentially developed into affordable creams that can help protect humans against HIV, a study has claimed.
Lead scientist from University of Melbourne Marit Kramski found that when pregnant cows were vaccinated with an HIV protein, the first milk produced by the cow after giving birth, called colostrum, produced high antibodies to protect its newborn against disease.
Researchers were now planning to test the effectiveness and safety of the milk before turning it into a cream which will hopefully allow women to protect themselves against contracting the virus during sex, without relying on men, the Herald Sun reported.
However, the final result could be a decade off.
The researchers were able to inhibit the virus from infecting cells when combing the virus cells with milk.
“We think the antibodies bind to the surface of the virus and blocks the protein which needs to be freed to get in contact with human cells — like a key and lock system. If the key’s not accessible or you change the key, you can’t open the door,” Kramski said adding “It’s a very cheap and easy way to produce a lot of antibodies.”
Kramski had partnered with Australian biotechnology company Immuron Ltd to develop the milk, and would continue working with them to produce a preventative cream.
“We have the antibodies at the moment — the next step will be formulation,” Kramski said.
Condoms were “cheap and easy” but not an option for everyone with millions of people getting infected with HIV every year, she added.
“A lot of women, especially in Africa or South America they don’t have the power to say you need to use a condom before we have sex.
“This milk looks like it can be a cheap, easy new prevention tool, because if you use drugs it’s really expensive,” she said.
Keywords: Cow's milk, Australian research, HIV prevention
i feel that it was not such a small thing to carry on this
research.Being a biology student i appreciate that.we are not suppose to
take away the food of that calf but if it lead to a way in reducing the
disease it was half better.But let her baby drink n after that
researches was to be done.Its our duty to prevent rather than going for
cure.Follow ethics to lead a better society.
Please!~ Why do we now need to make a cream from an animal to protect women from HIV? Why are we in such a dismal world that we are now having sex with people we don't even trust? Then the calves get to starve because we need to drink their only source of nourishment! We are not cows and need to stop taking and using life for our benefit when everything is here to live, as we. But because we are in such a mess does this give us the right to take away the lives of other kindred creatures for our own selfish pursuits!!? NO!
I use to drink milk, I grew up sick with ear infections, strept throat and later asthma. When I gave up dairy products, my body thrived. I got better and better! Why? Because I am not a cow and my body doesn't digest cow fluids like a baby calf does. Wake up!
Holy cow!
The world drinks cow milk. Its in countries like India that we consume
milk from water buffalo. Maybe a combination of Cow and Buffalo may
help?
Never know.
Over emphasis is being on the goodness of cow's milk. On the contrary, cow's milk is bad for the human body due to many factors. Cow's milk is not easily digestible and takes a long time to digest. Due to his it causes malabsorption of vital minerals and vitamins. Too much of calcium inhibits aborption of iron. Calcium is antognostic to magnesium and hence too much calcium can excrete magnesium from the body causing cramps in the legs, stomach and muscles. Cow's milk contains lactase which is not digested by the stomach. Calcium should be obtain from green leafy vegetables and not from milk. My body has undergone so many problems because of consuming milk. Once, I stopped consuming milk, I feel a lot better.In olden days, people had butter milk which is good for the stomach and enhances digestion.
This is not correct. Go read some scientific journals first.
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