Ivermectin: A Brief Biography
It disheartening for people familiar with the wonder-drug ivermectin to see headlines from “reputable” news sources refer to it, disdainfully, as “horse-dewormer”. Ivermectin is a medication that has improved the nutrition and wellbeing of billions of people around the world since it was first used in humans in 1988, and its development and use in the treatment of disease has been recognized by many experts as “one of the greatest medical accomplishments of the 20th century.” It is regrettable that in this time of a global pandemic, the mainstream news outlets are publishing pieces that belittle the massive impact this medication has had on global health outcomes.
Ivermectin traces its roots back to the soils of Japan. In the 1960’s, a microbiologist named Satoshi Ōmura discovered within soil samples a particular bacterium effective against worms: Streptomyces avermitilis. The active component, named avermectin, was modified into the compound we know as ivermectin today. It is effective against a wide variety of internal and external parasites and is incredibly safe for humans because it acts on the glutamate-gated ion channels in the neurons of nematodes and insects; in mammals, these neurons are protected by the blood-brain barrier.
To date, more than 4 billion doses have been administered to humans for the treatment of tropical diseases including onchocerciasis (river blindness), helminthiases, and scabies. Ivermectin has also been shown to possess antiviral properties. Its utility in the treatment and prevention of SARS-CoV-2 infection remains unclear. Some studies have demonstrated large reductions in COVID-19 deaths and infections with the use of ivermectin, but “there is insufficient evidence for the COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines Panel (the Panel) to recommend either for or against the use of ivermectin for the treatment of COVID-19.” Until this evidence becomes available, we should reserve judgement on ivermectin’s effectiveness against COVID-19. Clinical trials are being conducted at various locations around the world that will undoubtedly bring more clarity to the discussion surrounding ivermectin and its role as a coronavirus therapy.
