Skip to content RMS Logo
  • Login
  • Events
    • Event Calendar
    • MicroscopyDB Events Database
    • The International Microscopy Lecture Series
    • Microscience Microscopy Congress Series
    • Event Hosting & Management
      • RMS Corporate Member Event Hosting
    • Exhibiting and Sponsorship
  • Community
    • Science Sections
      • AFM & other Scanning Probe Microscopies
      • Data Analysis in Imaging
      • Electron Microscopy
      • Engineering, Physical & Material Sciences
      • Flow Cytometry
      • Life Sciences
      • Light Microscopy
      • Early Career Committee
      • Outreach & Education Committee
      • History Committee
      • RMS Council
      • Join a Committee
    • Focussed Interest Groups
      • Quality Control
      • Mass Spectrometry Imaging
      • X-ray Microscopy
      • Ion Beam Microscopy
      • Professional Development and Training
      • Open Call for members of a new RMS Histology Focussed Interest Group
    • Networks & Affiliates
      • BioImagingUK Network
      • EM-UKI
      • International Societies & Microscopy Groups
      • Advanced EM Working Group
      • Expansion Microscopy User Group
      • Advanced Electron Microscopy Working Group 2025 Roadmap Refresh
    • Facilities Database
      • RMS Facilities Database Submission Forms
    • EDI&A Group
    • Corporate Advisory Board
    • Equity in Microscopy Resource
    • Technician Commitment
      • Technician Subsidy
    • RMS Ambassadors
      • Promotion Toolkit
      • Post-event Impact Form
      • RMS Ambassador Profile
    • RMS Discussion Groups
  • Journal of Microscopy
  • Library
    • Journal of Microscopy
      • Editors & Editorial Board
      • Open Access
      • Virtual Issues
    • infocus Magazine
      • infocus Article Backfile
      • Online infocus Magazine
      • Submit to infocus
      • Editorial Board
      • infocus Magazine Advertising Opportunities
    • RMS Books
    • RMS News
    • Online Microscopy Resources
      • MicroscopyDB Training & Education Resources
      • MicroscopyDB Tools Database
      • Technical Tea Breaks
      • Image Analysis Resources
    • Core Facilities Publication Policy
    • The Science Heritage Collection of Microscopes
    • Imaging Facility Publication Guidelines
  • Opportunities
    • Awards & Competitions
      • RMS President's Award
      • RMS Vice Presidents' Award
      • The RMS Winton Prize
      • RMS Section Awards
      • Chris Hawes Award for Outreach and Education
      • RMS Scientific Achievement Award
      • RMS Early Career Award
      • The Pearse Prize
      • RMS Beginners' Competition
      • RMS Scientific Imaging Competition
      • RMS Award Application
    • RMS Diploma
      • RMS Diplomates
      • Current Diploma Projects
    • Jobs
    • Professional Development
      • Summer Studentships
      • Professional Internship Placements
      • Technician Subsidy
      • Application Coaching & Personal Mentoring Schemes
      • Microscopist Profiles
    • RMS Annual Call for Images
    • Technical Specialist Job Shadowing Program
    • Partnership Opportunities
  • Outreach
    • Microscope Activity Kits
      • What is a Microscope Activity Kit?
      • Primary School Request a Microscope Activity Kit
      • Home Educators Request a Microscope Activity Kit
      • RMS Microscope Activity Kit Feedback Form
      • Microscope Activity Kit Resource Library
    • Microscopes for Schools
    • Hitachi Global STEM Outreach Project portable SEM
    • Resources for School Children
    • Outreach Events
  • Corporate
    • Corporate Membership
    • RMS Corporate Members
    • Corporate Advisory Board
    • Exhibiting and Sponsorship
    • Corporate Member Event Hosting
    • RMS Advertising Opportunities
    • infocus Magazine Advertising Opportunities
  • Membership
    • Join Online
    • RMS Fellowship
    • Bursaries
      • RMS Standard Travel Bursaries
      • RMS Virtual Bursaries
      • Public Engagement and Outreach Bursaries
      • Care & Support Grants
    • Submit a Member Profile
    • Corporate Membership
  • About
    • Contact Us
    • Governance
      • RMS Executive Committee
      • RMS Council
      • Rules, Charter and By-laws
      • RMS AGM
      • RMS Annual Report
      • Long-Term Strategy
    • History of the RMS
      • Past Presidents
    • RMS Patrons
    • Current RMS Honorary Fellows
      • Past & Present Honorary Fellows
    • Leave a Legacy
    • Donate your Microscopes
    • Working at the RMS
  • Login

Life Sciences

This group is an open forum for discussion and questions relating to Life Sciences

  • Overview
  • Meetings
  • Documents
  • Discussions
Raised by anonymous

The Promising Antiviral Potential of Ivermectin

Ivermectin has long been recognized as a safe and effective broad-spectrum antiparasitic agent, with over 3.7 billion doses distributed globally over the past three decades. However, recent research has uncovered another remarkable property of this versatile medication - its potent antiviral activity.
Ivermectin is an avermectin, a group of pentacyclic sixteen-membered lactone (macrocyclic lactone disaccharide) compounds derived from the soil bacterium Streptomyces avermitilis. In addition to its well-established antiparasitic effects, ivermectin has demonstrated broad-spectrum antiviral capabilities both in vitro and in vivo. This makes it a uniquely valuable tool in the fight against a wide range of viral infections.

The pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profile of ivermectin provides insights into its antiviral mechanism of action. As a highly lipophilic compound, ivermectin is able to easily penetrate cell membranes and access intracellular targets. Once inside the cell, ivermectin has been shown to inhibit the importin α/β1 nuclear transport proteins, which many viruses hijack to transport their own proteins into the nucleus and facilitate viral replication. By blocking this crucial cellular process, ivermectin effectively prevents the virus from completing its reproductive cycle.

Ivermectin's antiviral effects have been documented against a diverse array of viruses, including influenza, Zika, dengue, and most notably, SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19. In a landmark 2020 study, researchers demonstrated that a single dose of ivermectin was able to reduce SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA levels by 99.8% in vitro after 24 hours. This groundbreaking finding has since been corroborated by numerous other in vitro and in vivo studies, highlighting ivermectin's potential as a critical weapon in the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
Beyond its direct antiviral properties, ivermectin also exhibits anti-inflammatory effects that could be particularly beneficial in the management of viral infections. The drug has been shown to downregulate the production of proinflammatory cytokines, which are often implicated in the severe complications associated with viral illnesses. This dual mechanism of action - antiviral and anti-inflammatory - makes ivermectin a uniquely attractive therapeutic option.

Importantly, ivermectin has a well-established safety profile, with a wide therapeutic window and low incidence of adverse effects when administered orally. This differentiates it from many other antiviral drugs, which can often have significant toxicity concerns. The availability of ivermectin as an affordable, off-patent medication further enhances its potential for global impact, particularly in resource-limited settings.

In conclusion, the growing body of evidence supporting ivermectin's broad-spectrum antiviral activity, coupled with its favorable safety profile and accessibility, make it a compelling candidate for inclusion in the arsenal of tools used to combat viral infections. As the world continues to grapple with the ongoing COVID-19 crisis and the ever-present threat of emerging viral pathogens, the unique properties of ivermectin position it as a versatile and valuable therapeutic option that warrants serious consideration and further investigation.

Created: 15 Jul 2025 08:07:47 AM

All Replies (0)

There are no replies to this discussion.

Return to discussions
RMS Homepage Logo

Royal Microscopical Society
37/38 St Clements, Oxford, OX4 1AJ, UK
Charity No: 241990

ISO 27001 Accreditation Logo OLW Logo 2022.png

Privacy Policy | Code of Conduct | Terms & Conditions | Event Booking Terms & Conditions | Event Sponsor Terms & Conditions | Rules, Charter and By-laws 

© 2025 Royal Microscopical Society

  • EDI&A Group
  • Sustainability Statement

Design & Development by Pixl8
Membership software by ReadyMembership