SoylentNews

Phoenix666 writes:

Biochemists from Trinity College Dublin have solved an old mystery as to the cause of especially smelly camel urine, with implications for the millions of people affected by African parasites called trypanosomes. These parasites frequently cause fatalities via sleeping sickness.

The biochemists have unearthed a metabolic by-product of trypanosome activity known as indolepyruvate, which may offer excellent possibilities for developing anti-trypanosome drugs and therapies because inhibiting its production may be key in fighting the parasite.

Additionally, because this by-product modifies the behaviour of important immune cells and prevents them from becoming fully active, it has potential as an inhibitor of common inflammatory diseases.
...
Professor Nolan said: "Camel herders have long known that the urine of camels infected with trypanosomes has a pungent odour, and is reddish brown in colour. We found that this is directly attributable to parasite breakdown of aromatic amino acids, such as tryptophan, in the host, and to the excretion of the novel by-products into the bloodstream."

"The Riddle of Putrid Camel Urine." There's got to be a joke in there somewhere.

Original Submission