英语-香蕉的作用

Bananas are often called the perfect food. 香蕉被称为完美食物。

They are nutritious , a good source of all kinds of vitamins and minerals.香蕉营养丰富，饱含各种维生素和矿物质。

They can help fight depression and ward off muscle cramps.香蕉可以帮助治疗郁郁症并防止肌肉痉挛。

They can lower blood pressure and protect against heart attacks.它还能降低血压并预防心脏病发作。

To most people , bananas taste great.对大多数人来说，香蕉甚是美味的。

They add natural sweetness to some baked goods and health drinks.它们为一些烘培食品以及保健饮品增添了自然甜味。

And bananas come in their own protective , biodegrable packaging.香蕉还拥有具有保护作用以及能够生物降解的表皮。

So , there are many reasons to eat bananas.因此，吃香蕉有很多种理由。

And now there is another.而现在出现了另一种理由。

Bananas , it turns out , have a secret weapon.事实证明，香蕉有一种秘密武器。

And this cecret weapon could protect against viruses.即可以抵抗病毒

Scientists are now taking a protein foung in bananas and turning it into a drug that may someday fight viral infections.科学家们正致力于将香蕉中一种蛋白质转变为对抗病毒感染的药物。

The secret weapon is called bananas lectin , or BanLec.这种秘密武器被称为香蕉凝集素。

BanLec is a protein that attaches to sugar molecules and keeps viruses out of cells.香蕉凝集素是一种附着于糖分子并防止病毒进入细胞的蛋白质。

A virus cannot infect what it cannot enter.病毒无法感染无法进入的目标。

The team of researchers published their study in the journal Cell.《细胞》杂志上，研究小组发表了他们的研究结果。

In their article , the researchers say it could be one of the first antiviral agents to treat a wide-rang of viruses.文章中研究人员指出，它将可能成为第一种治疗广泛病毒的抗病毒剂。

These viruses include HIV , hepatitis and even the common flu virus.这些病毒包括艾滋病毒、肝炎，甚至是普通流感病毒。

Senior co-author of the study is David Markovitzat the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.密歇根大学安娜堡分校的大卫.马科维茨是这项研究的高级合著者。

He warns that you cannot get the benefits of BanLec simply by eating a bunch of bananas.他提醒说，光吃香蕉并不能获得香蕉凝集素的好处。

Stomach acids , he explains , will chew up the protein before it has a chance to fight infections in the body.他解释说，这种蛋白质在对抗体内感染之前，有可能已经被胃酸消耗掉了。

BanLec is a modified , or changed , protein.香蕉凝集素是一种改良过的蛋白质。

Markovita explains.马科维茨解释道。

“Remember , when you are eating the banana , “记住，当你吃香蕉时，

then the protein which , by the way , is not our modified protein , it is an actual protein;这种蛋白质并非我们改良过的蛋白质，而是一种真正的蛋白质。

it is probably going to be chewed up by the stomach acid.它可能会被胃酸消化掉。

So , we very much doubt that eating bananas will help you.”所以我们对吃香蕉会起到作用充满疑虑。”

Markovitz says researchers investigated the bananas protein for a very special use.马科维茨表示，研究人员研究这种香蕉蛋白质的一种特殊用途。

Women could use a type of the protein before sex to protect them against HIV infection.女性可以在性行为之前使用这种蛋白质来防止艾滋病毒感染。

But the researchers found that the protein fought dff a number of viruses.但是研究人员发现，这种蛋白质消灭了一些病毒。

Viruses simply die if they cannot infect cells.病毒如果无法感染细胞就会死亡。

At this point , Markovitz say , there are no plans to test the BanLec protein on humans.马科维茨表示，目前还没有计划对香蕉凝集素蛋白质进行人体试验。

He says he and the other researchers are ambitious , meaning they want to be successful; with this drug.他和其他研究人员都雄心勃勃，也意味着他们希望该种药物能获得成功。