A team of researchers from the US has demonstrated that xylitol and grapefruit seed extract could potentially prevent SARS-CoV-2. They can be used as a nasal spray to contain the spread of SARS-CoV-2. Xylitol a naturally occurring alcohol found in most plant materials is widely used as a sugar substitute. Many previous studies have demonstrated the anti-viral properties of polyols.
In mouse models, dietary xylitol’s effect on the human respiratory syncytial virus showed promising results. In the current study, the researchers formulated a nasal spray containing xylitol, grapefruit extract, and saline solution.
This nasal spray was tested on virus titers of SARS-CoV-2. After a 25-minute contact time, the nasal spray reduced the virus from 4.2 to 1.7 log10 CCID50 per 0.1mL, which is a statistically significant reduction. STEM images revealed that the virus was contained on the cell wall but none were present intra-cellular.
This could be due to D-xylose (xylitol) production glycoaminoglycans decoy targets. Grapefruit seed extract significantly reduced the viral load while xylitol prevents the virus attachment. There are no risk factors for using xylitol and grapefruit seed extract and the combination could be available over the counter.
To know more about origin, virology of COVID-19, Click here
To know more about emerging themes in COVID-19, Click here
To know more about how WhiteCoats can help you in your professional advancement, visit www.whitecoats.com
Want to set up an online consultation for your practice, Click here
Ref Links: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.12.02.408575