Oxytocin as a Potential Adjuvant Against COVID-19 Infection.

ABSTRACT

This study summarized the benefits of oxytocin in the attenuation of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pathogenesis. The recent outbreak of COVID-19 has become a pandemic with 7,323,761 infected patients and has created a health emergency worldwide. On the basis of the clinical study, COVID-19 shows homology with other coronavirus pathogenesis, i.e., inflammation, oxidative stress, and hyperactivation of the immune system, resulting in cytokine storm and causing acute lung infection (ALI), acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and kidney dysfunction. Oxytocin is a peptide of nine amino acids and a well-known anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and immune-modulator, which is protective against ALI/ARDS, nephrotoxicity, sepsis, and ischemia- reperfusion medical condition. Oxytocin is a neuromodulator, effective for stress, anxiety, social behavior, and depression, which may be helpful for better outcomes in patients with COVID-19. Significant data show that oxytocin can be useful in the treatment of COVID-19 pathogenesis. A direct application of OT in COVID-19 is unclear; however, its use in an experimental model and humans has continuously demonstrated its safety, and its use in patients with COVID-19 is predicted to be highly beneficial.