Nanosilica mop up host lipids and fights baculovirus

Various types of surface functionalized nanosilica (50-60 nm size with 3-10 nm inner pore size range) have been used to kill insect pests by sucking up cuticular lipids and breaking the water barrier 1,2 . We have also utilized nanosilica for mopping up host lipids induced by the malarial parasite, P. gallinaceum in poultry birds; VLDL cholesterol and serum triglycerides are brought back to the normal level with a concomitant check in parasite growth 3 . While this work continues, we have explored another more convenient system, silkworm (Bombyx mori) that is frequently decimated by a baculovirus, NPV for which no antidote is known so far. Here, too, viral infection enhances host lipids. Eight different types of nanosilica were injected in the virus infected silkworm (batches of 10 worms) after ensuring 100% survival up to cocoon formation in control larvae (injected with the same volume of ethanol, the medium of nanosilica). Of these 8, AL60102 and AL60106, have the most marked effect on infected silkworm, both as prophylactic and pharmaceutical agents. Normal larvae injected with these nanosilica survive up to cocoon formation.