Ubiquitin’s dual role in viral hijacking and cellular cleanup reveals systemic gaps in antiviral immunity
Original framing: “New tool tracks a hidden protein involved in viral infection and cell cleanup” — Phys.org
Indigenous pharmacopeias, such as Ayurvedic *Triphala* or Amazonian *ayahuasca* preparations, have long observed and utilized compounds that influence autophagy and immune modulation—mechanisms now attributed to ubiquitin. For example, *Andrographis paniculata* (king of bitters) has been empirically shown to enhance lysosomal activity, a process ubiquitin regulates, yet its inclusion in modern antiviral research is anecdotal at best. The omission of these traditions reflects a colonial erasure where Western science claims discovery while ignoring millennia of empirical data. Restoring this lens would require re-examining patented antiviral drugs (e.g., remdesivir) alongside indigenous remedies to identify synergistic or alternative pathways, particularly in regions where dengue and influenza disproportionately affect Indigenous populations.