Thread by @G_Pask

So here’s an ion channel nerd’s take on #Ivermectin, why it’s not just horse paste, and why it only targets what it’s supposed to target… invertebrate parasites!

A thread

Here’s the structure of ivermectin. It functions as an agonist of glutamate-gated chloride channels, which means it opens these channels and chloride can move into or out of the cell.

All this channel activation induced by ivermectin causes muscle cells and neurons to be inhibited, resulting in the death of those cells.

Sounds bad, right?

Here’s the thing, humans and other mammals do not possess glutamate-gated chloride channels. The approved use of ivermectin is as a dewormer because only invertebrates have these ion channels.

Many are probably familiar with it as preventative treatment for dogs

You know what also doesn’t have glutamate-gated chloride channels?… the SARS-CoV-2 virus

So don’t do it, seriously. Don’t be a moron

At low doses, ivermectin is pretty specific to the invertebrate glutamate-gated chloride channels.

At high doses, it starts to have off-target effects on many other channels, really important ones you don’t want to mess with.

So please leave the ivermectin to important deworming functions, and use pharmacology to discourage COVID-related use while also talking about how receptor specificity is key!

Thanks to @adriaexists and @Jason_Macrander for encouraging this thread 😉