A Tasmanian company has discovered that seaweed can be used for treating swine flu. Lab trials had been going on for the past nine months, for the same. They made use of the undaria seaweed, which was harvested from waters at Triabunna, of Tasmania's East Coast.

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases performed lab tests and the results have been encouraging. Tasmanian scientist Helen Fitton revealed while describing the development, “With swine flu already becoming resistant to some other antiviral agents, we believe that the extract - known as Maritech 926 - offers a potent, natural alternative which supports the immune system against viral attacks”.

About 200Kgs of undaria seaweed are used to produce 1 kg of the powdered drug. Though, biotechnology company Marinova, based at Cambridge, had been researching this compound for the past eight years, but its efficacy against H1N1 flu is proven in last December.

The new results discovered that it prevents the H1N1 virus from entering the cell and multiplying. It has also revealed very good antiviral activities against a variety of influenza strains, HIV and herpes.

Marinova Managing Director, Paul Garrott opines that the product is environmentally as well as commercially sustainable. It can be used in other pharmaceutical and medical devices.