ABSTRACT
The outbreak of mysterious pneumonia at the end of 2019 is associated with widespread research interest worldwide. The coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) targets multiple organs through inflammatory, immune, and redox mechanisms, and no effective drug for its prophylaxis or treatment has been identified until now. The use of dietary bioactive compounds, such as phenolic compounds (PC), has emerged as a putative nutritional or therapeutic adjunct approach for COVID-19. In the present study, scientific data on the mechanisms underlying the bioactivity of PC and their usefulness in COVID-19 mitigation are reviewed. In addition, antioxidant, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory effects of dietary PC are studied. Moreover, the implications of digestion on the putative benefits of dietary PC against COVID-19 are presented by addressing the bioavailability and biotransformation of PC by the gut microbiota. Lastly, safety issues and possible drug interactions of PC and their implications in COVID-19 therapeutics are discussed.
Subject(s)
Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/therapeutic use , Antioxidants/therapeutic use , COVID-19/therapy , Dietary Supplements , Gastrointestinal Microbiome , Phenols/therapeutic use , Animals , Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/pharmacokinetics , Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/pharmacology , Antioxidants/pharmacokinetics , Antioxidants/pharmacology , Antiviral Agents/pharmacokinetics , Antiviral Agents/pharmacology , Antiviral Agents/therapeutic use , Biological Availability , Curcumin/pharmacokinetics , Curcumin/pharmacology , Curcumin/therapeutic use , Dietary Supplements/analysis , Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects , Humans , Immunologic Factors/pharmacokinetics , Immunologic Factors/pharmacology , Immunologic Factors/therapeutic use , Phenols/pharmacokinetics , Phenols/pharmacology , Quercetin/pharmacokinetics , Quercetin/pharmacology , Quercetin/therapeutic use , Resveratrol/pharmacokinetics , Resveratrol/pharmacology , Resveratrol/therapeutic use , SARS-CoV-2/drug effectsABSTRACT
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) represents an emergent global threat which is straining worldwide healthcare capacity. As of May 27th, the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) has resulted in more than 340,000 deaths worldwide, with 100,000 deaths in the US alone. It is imperative to study and develop pharmacological treatments suitable for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19. Ascorbic acid is a crucial vitamin necessary for the correct functioning of the immune system. It plays a role in stress response and has shown promising results when administered to the critically ill. Quercetin is a well-known flavonoid whose antiviral properties have been investigated in numerous studies. There is evidence that vitamin C and quercetin co-administration exerts a synergistic antiviral action due to overlapping antiviral and immunomodulatory properties and the capacity of ascorbate to recycle quercetin, increasing its efficacy. Safe, cheap interventions which have a sound biological rationale should be prioritized for experimental use in the current context of a global health pandemic. We present the current evidence for the use of vitamin C and quercetin both for prophylaxis in high-risk populations and for the treatment of COVID-19 patients as an adjunct to promising pharmacological agents such as Remdesivir or convalescent plasma.