Sweetgum Tree Could Help Lessen Shortage Of Bird Flu Drug

... Chemists have found that the seeds of the sweetgum fruit -- also called "gumballs" -- contain significant amounts of shikimic acid, the starting material used to produce the main antiviral agent in a much-heralded drug for fighting bird flu. The finding could help increase the global supply of the drug, which is now in short supply, they say. Their study will be presented March 29th in Atlanta at the national meeting of the American Chemical Society. ...