acute respiratory distress syndrome Archives - Amazing Health Advances

Novel Way to Protect Your Lungs

AHA Publisher — Fri, 15 Jan 2021 08:00:50 +0000

Al Sears, MD, CNS – The recovery rate from Covid-19 is about 99.75%. Fortunately, most people who have had it won’t have any long-lasting damage. Unfortunately, in about 5% percent of critical cases, the virus triggers an overreaction of the immune system in what is known as a “cytokine storm.” This leads to inflammation that can damage the walls and lining of the air sacs in your lungs. The result is acute respiratory distress syndrome – or ARDS. But there’s a novel way you can protect your lungs. A new study published in the Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine found that CBD can reduce – and even reverse – this lung damage by normalizing levels of an inflammation-causing peptide called apelin. Apelin is made by cells in the blood, brain, heart, fat and lung tissue. It plays a major role in regulating your blood pressure, while also keeping inflammation down. When you’re infected with coronavirus, your levels of this peptide plummet. But researchers say that even when levels were close to zero in patients with ARDS, treatment with CBD increased apelin blood levels by 20 times – and restored lung function back to normal levels. The study authors found that using CBD also:1 Relaxed cells lining blood vessels Reduced excessive lung inflammation Increased oxygen levels Repaired damage to the lungs, including scarring and swelling This study backs up an earlier study that found CBD helps open bronchial passes allowing patients with COPD to breathe more easily and avoid low blood oxygen levels.2 Heal Your Lungs With the Right Kind of CBD When it comes to CBD, you want to get the greatest – and fastest – benefit. And that means increasing its bioavailability. Like most medications and supplements, it’s best to take CBD with a meal because it increases the absorption. And the more CBD you absorb in your bloodstream, the more potent the effect. You know CBD can be taken a lot of different ways: in tinctures, capsules, vaping, balms, edibles and more. Each method has benefits, but some allow for more CBD to be directly absorbed than others. For example, eating or swallowing CBD requires digestion, which means some of the CBD gets broken down by your liver before circulating into your bloodstream. Tinctures, on the other hand, get absorbed more quickly into your bloodstream under your tongue. I’ve found that an oral spray that uses nanotechnology is the most bioavailable. That’s because it’s a quicker, more direct route to the bloodstream, and it avoids the liver’s “first pass” effect, which lowers CBD bioavailability. In fact, nanotechnology gets 1,500% more CBD past your cell membranes.3 When you’re having trouble with your lungs, that’s pretty important. To get maximum benefit, spray the liquid under your tongue, hold it without talking for 60 seconds and then swallow. 3 More Ways to Increase Bioavailability Look for an emulsified product. Some products emulsify their CBD using nanotechnology. This breaks CBD down into even smaller molecules. The smaller and more dispersed the molecules are, the more bioavailable they are, because they pass more easily through cell membranes and into the bloodstream than larger CBD particles.4 Take it with healthy fats. CBD is a fat-soluble compound, meaning it dissolves in fats. This breaks CBD down into smaller molecules that are more easily absorbed by the body. One way to increase CBD’s bioavailability is to mix it with a healthy high-fat snack or meal. A recent study found that people who took CBD with high-fat foods increased their absorption up to 14 times more than those who took it on an empty stomach.5 Look for full-spectrum CBD. Terpenes are fatty oils found in the essential oils of almost all plants. They occur naturally in hemp and are extracted along with CBD and other compounds to create full-spectrum CBD products. These compounds work together and amplify each other’s benefits, a synergy known as the “entourage effect.” Terpenes increase CBD bioavailability and enhance the therapeutic effects of cannabinoids. Note: There is one method of taking CBD I don’t recommend and that’s vaping. That’s especially true if you already have lung damage. It’s true that there aren’t a lot of studies. But with so many other safe, effective and fast ways to get your CBD, why take the risk? To Your Good Health, Al Sears, MD, CNS 1. Khodadadi H, et al. “Cannabidiol modulates cytokine storm in acute respiratory distress syndrome induced by simulated viral infection using synthetic RNA.” Cannabis Cannabinoid Res. 2020; 5(3): 197–201. 2. Makwana R, et al. “The effect of phytocannabinoids on airway hyper-responsiveness, airway inflammation, and cough.” J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2015 Apr;353(1):169-80. 3. Cherniakov I, et al. “Piperine-pro-nanolipospheres as a novel oral delivery system of cannabinoids: Pharmacokinetic evaluation in healthy volunteers in comparison to buccal spray administration.” J Control Release.2017;266:1-7. 4. Bruni N, et al. “Cannabinoid delivery systems for pain and inflammation treatment.” Molecules. 2018;23(10). 5. Birnbaum AK, et al. “Food effect on pharmacokinetics of cannabidiol oral capsules in adult patients with refractory epilepsy.” Epilepsia. 2019;60(8):1586-1592. To read the original article click here. For more articles from Al Sears, MD click here.

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Could Beta-Blockers Be a Potential Treatment for COVID-19?

AHA Publisher — Wed, 09 Dec 2020 08:00:55 +0000

Interview conducted by Emily Henderson, B.Sc. via News-Medical Net – News-Medical spoke to researchers Dr. Nirmal Robinson, Dr. Vincenzo Desiderio, and Dr. Antonio Barbieri about their latest research into beta-blockers, and how they could potentially be used to treat COVID-19. What provoked your research into the current COVID-19 pandemic? We have been working on adrenergic receptors for a few years, in the context of its role in cancer progression and possibly to target them for cancer treatment. Adrenergic receptors are also involved in regulating the immune system and inflammation. When the initial data on inflammation associated with COVID-19 was published, we realized that the processes involved, namely the activation of inflammatory T lymphocytes and cytokines release, were similar to what we have observed when beta2-adrenergic receptors are stimulated in cancer settings. What are the three stages of SARS-CoV-2 infection? The progression of COVIDS-19 has been divided into three main stages: stage I—viral response, stage II—pulmonary phase, and stage III—hyper inflammation phase. Once the patients enter stage III, they will most likely need ventilation and it becomes difficult to manage. Why is it of high importance that we are able to find an effective therapy to slow down or stop the progression of the virus into its third stage? The third stage is the last and most severe stage whereby the patients are affected by acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), requiring ventilation in an intensive care unit. This is the stage in which hyper inflammation due to cytokine storms can induce small blood clots throughout the bloodstream, blocking small blood vessels, causing death. Preventing the progression to this phase could possibly give the needed time for the body to recover as it is not the virus itself that causes the damage, rather the excessive immune response to the virus. Why are patients with high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease at a higher risk of developing a severe infection? It is a known fact that people with diabetes are at higher risk of severe complications from infection in general, as increased blood sugar levels can reduce the ability of the immune system to fight infection. On the other hand, an acute infection might raise sugar levels and make it difficult to control. Similarly, about 30% of hospitalized Flu-patients have diabetes, hence diabetes patients are strongly recommended to receive the flu vaccination. COVID-19 associated severe complications are mainly caused by uncontrollable inflammation following a “cytokine storm” which is the release of abundant inflammatory cytokines that affect blood vessels among other structures. Diabetes patients as well as patients with hypertension are characterized by increased cytokine release and hyperinflammatory state. Also, inflammation will affect the blood by making it thicker putting organs such as the heart, kidney, and lungs under stress. One still unconfirmed theory also suggests that people with diabetes and high blood pressure have higher ACE2 receptors, the viral receptors used by SARS-CoV-2 to access the cells and generate infection, making them easier to infect. In your research, you looked at using beta-blockers to potentially treat COVID-19. What are beta-blockers such as propranolol currently used for? Beta-blockers are a class of medications that work by temporarily stopping or reducing the action of the beta-adrenergic receptors, involved in the body’s natural ‘fight-or-flight’ response. In return, they reduce stress on certain parts of the body, such as the heart and blood vessels in the brain. They are prevalently used to manage abnormal heart rhythm, hypertension and to protect the heart from recurring myocardial infarction. Propranolol is a non-selective beta-blocker because it blocks both beta 1 and beta 2 receptors. Propranolol is no longer used to treat heart conditions, but it has been recently repurposed for several pathologies such as cancer, haemangioma, rheumatoid arthritis, and anxiety. How is the spread of cancer in the lung similar in its inflammatory profile to COVID-19? Inflammation and oxidative stress predispose to the development of cancer and promote all stages of tumorigenesis. Cancer cells, as well as surrounding stromal and inflammatory cells, engage with each other to form an inflammatory tumor microenvironment (TME). Clinical studies using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin have shown that the inhibition of inflammation reduces the incidence and mortality in many cancers. In addition, specific inhibition of cytokines such as interleukin 1β (IL-1β) with canakinumab, significantly reduces the risk of lung cancer development. In our model of melanoma lung metastasis, cytokines produced such as interleukin-6, interleukin-1β, interferon-γ are very similar to COVID-19 infections. What current treatments are being trialed to treat COVID-19? What are some of the limitations of these methods so far? At the moment approximately 360 drugs are in human trials to treat COVID-19, but dexamethasone (a corticosteroid) has been proven to be significantly effective in clinical trials. Anticoagulants (usually low molecular weight heparins) are also used to reduce blood clots in blood vessels. Corticosteroids are broad anti-inflammatory drugs that depress the entire immune system, so while they are able to mitigate inflammation, they also reduce the ability of the immune system to fight the virus. An ideal therapy should target only the dangerous components of immune responses that are responsible for the adverse inflammatory reactions caused by specific cytokines, and spare the ability of the immune system to control the virus. Can you describe how you carried out your research into beta-blockers and their potential effectiveness as a treatment for COVID-19? Our research is based on our investigations into the beta-2 adrenergic pathway in cancer. Beta-2 adrenergic receptor (ADBR2) is highly expressed in many kinds of cancers and contributes to cancer growth and spread (metastasis). We have shown that targeting ADBR2 can reduce cancer growth and metastasis thus can be used as an adjunct therapy with the current therapy and help in overcoming drug resistance. ADBR2 is normally expressed on blood vessels, lungs, and cells of the immune system. We believe that blocking ABDR2 can reduce potentially dangerous immune responses without depressing the entire immune system. Many supporting pieces of evidence show that the major symptoms of COVID-19 infection are associated with over-activation of what is called Th17 response and β2-AR signals have been described to have a central role in promoting Th17 response in disease such as rheumatoid arthritis. Non-selective beta-blockers have been used in clinical settings to reduce inflammation and Th17 response. So, we believe that a similar effect can be obtained in COVID-19 patients. Moreover, beta-adrenergic receptor antagonists have been shown to be effective in dissolving blood clots. For these reasons, we suggest that beta-blockers such as propranolol should be considered for clinical trials to treat COVID-19. What did you discover? We have highlighted the similarity between cancer lung metastases microenvironment and COVID-19 in terms of inflammation and cytokine profile. We have also pointed out that targeting the adrenergic pathway might be an effective way to reduce inflammation and prevent cytokine storms, thus reducing the risk for patients to enter the most severe phase 3 of the disease. We strongly believe that this strategy is worth pursuing in a clinical setting. Can you describe the mechanism behind beta-blockers that help to reduce inflammation and rebalance our immune system? β2-adrenergic receptors are expressed by all the cells of the immune system, including T and B lymphocytes, dendritic cells (DCs), and macrophages. The specific role of adrenergic signaling in regulating immune responses and inflammation is still under debate. However, evidence support that activation of β2-adrenergic receptors leads to the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) which trigger the secretion of inflammatory cytokines. Moreover, catecholamines (activators of β2-adrenergic receptors) can promote the development of the inflammatory lymphocytes (specifically the Th17 response) which has been recognized to be responsible for the severe immune reaction associated with COVID -19. In cancer patients, propranolol reduces this inflammatory response, as well as the disease-associated anxiety. Another cytokine IFN- γ can exert direct antiviral effects on infected cells as well as neighboring cells. Interestingly, propranolol does not lower the levels of this anti-viral cytokine. Therefore, we think that beta-blockers could balance the immune system against SARS-CoV2 by reducing the inflammation that is lethal to patients but at the same time preserve the cytokines which are beneficial to kill the virus. Do you believe that your research could potentially help to cure COVID-19? Beta-blockers do not prevent virus replication and spread. On the other hand, the strategy we propose could help in mitigating the cytokine storm induced inflammation in COVID-19 patients thus reducing the lethality. What are the next steps in your research into beta-blockers as a potential treatment for COVID-19? Beta-blockers such as propranolol has been used for decades and are very safe drugs, therefore we believe that it is worthy to conduct a clinical trial on COVID-19 patients at the early stage of the disease to prove its effectiveness. Where can readers find more information? Barbieri A, Robinson N, Palma G, Maurea N, Desiderio V, Botti G. Can Beta-2-Adrenergic Pathway Be a New Target to Combat SARS-CoV-2 Hyperinflammatory Syndrome?-Lessons Learned From Cancer. Front Immunol. 2020 Sep 30;11:588724. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.588724. PMID: 33117402; PMCID: PMC7561388. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2020.588724/full To read the original article click here.

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Radboud University Medical Center Research: Most Lungs Recover Well After COVID-19

AHA Publisher — Wed, 02 Dec 2020 08:00:31 +0000

Radbound University Medical Center via EurekAlert – Lung tissue of patients who suffered severely from COVID-19 shows good recovery in most cases. This was revealed by a study carried out by the Radboud university medical center that has now been published in Clinical Infectious Diseases. A striking conclusion is that the group who was referred by a GP did not recover as well as patients who were admitted to the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU). The study, led by pulmonologist Bram van den Borst, included 124 patients who had recovered from acute COVID-19 infections. They visited the Radboud university medical center corona aftercare clinic. The patients were examined by CT scan, a lung functional test and more. After three months, the researchers took stock, which revealed that the patients’ lung tissue is recovering well. Residual damage in the lung tissue was generally limited and is most often seen in patients who were treated in the ICU. The most common complaints after three months are fatigue, shortness of breath and chest pains. Many people also still experience limitations in their daily life as well as a decreased quality of life. Main researcher and pulmonologist Bram van den Borst explains: “The patterns we see in these patients show similarities with recovery after acute pneumonia or acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), in which fluid accumulates in the lungs. Recovery from these conditions also generally takes a long time. It is encouraging to see that lungs after COVID-19 infections exhibit this level of recovery.” Referred patients do not recover as well as admitted patients Patients were divided into three categories for the study: a group with patients who were admitted to the ICU, a group of patients who were admitted to a nursing ward in the hospital, and finally a group with patients who could stay home but experienced persisting symptoms that eventually warranted a referral from their GP. The study assessed how patients fared after three months and revealed that the patients who were referred to the aftercare clinic by their GP showed the worst recovery in the following period. Of course, this latter group of patients was referred because of their persisting symptoms. “However, it does seem that there is a clear subgroup of patients who initially experienced mild COVID-19 symptoms and later kept experiencing persistent long-term complaints and limitations”, Bram van den Borst elaborates. “What is striking is that we barely found any anomalies in the lungs of these patients. Considering the variety and seriousness of the complaints and the plausible size of this subgroup, there is an urgent need for further research into explanations and treatment options.” Aftercare clinic for patients with persisting symptoms Radboud university medical center established the corona aftercare clinic at the Dekkerswald location as a reaction to an observed increase in the signals that a substantial number of COVID-19 patients was experiencing long-term complaints, ranging from coughing, fatigue and shortness of breath to anxiety and physical limitations. At the aftercare clinic, an extensive analysis is performed involving multiple disciplines. Based on this analysis, the care requirements of the patients and the subsequent steps are determined. Patients who were admitted at Radboud university medical center with COVID-19 will receive an invitation from the corona aftercare clinic. People who went through COVID-19 from home and are still experiencing symptoms can get a referral from their GP to visit the aftercare clinic as well. To read the original article click here.

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Healthy Diet Plays Vital Role in Warding Off COVID-19

AHA Publisher — Mon, 30 Nov 2020 08:00:44 +0000

Angela Betsaida B. Laguipo, BSN via News-Medical Net – The COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread globally, with over 62.26 million people infected. With the rapid spread of its causative agent, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), it is crucial to determine ways to prevent infection. The immune system protects the host from pathogenic organisms, including viruses, bacterial, fungi, and parasites. To deal with a broad range of threats, the immune system has evolved to include many specialized cell types that communicate and work in tandem to fight off infections. Since the immune system is active in carrying out surveillance throughout the day, it needs adequate nutrients. Several vitamins and trace elements have been shown to reduce the risk of infections. A researcher at the School of Human Development and Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, explored nutrition’s role in boosting the immune system to combat COVID-19 infection. The study published in the BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health highlights the importance of nutrition in boosting the immune system’s ability to fight off infection. The Immune System The immune system is a complex network of cells and proteins that defends the body against infection. It keeps a record of every pathogen it has ever encountered to recognize and kill it if it enters the body again. Immunological memory refers to the immune system’s ability to quickly recognize an antigen that the body has previously encountered and initiated a corresponding immune response. Many factors could alter the body’s immune response. Aging can be tied to a loss of immune system competence, called immunosenescence. Immunosenescence is characterized by reduced immune cells, including T lymphocytes, B lymphocytes, dendritic cells, neutrophils, monocytes, macrophages, and natural killer cells. One factor associated with immunosenescence is a reduction of immune cells from the bone marrow, where these cells come from. All these processes that occur in old age could predispose older people to more severe COVID-19. Obesity is also tied to a reduced immune response. Usually, obese people experience impairments in the activity of helper T lymphocytes, cytotoxic T lymphocytes, B lymphocytes, and natural killer cells. They also have reduced antibody and interferon-gamma (IFN-y) production. This predisposes them to develop severe COVID-19. Also, obese people may have a poorer response to vaccination. Obesity has also been linked to increased blood concentrations of many inflammatory mediators, a state of chronic low-grade inflammation. When infected, the immune system may mount an excessive inflammatory response like a cytokine storm, making them vulnerable to severe COVID-19. Nutrition and Immunity The immune system functions at all times, but specific cells become activated by the presence of pathogens. The activation leads to a marked increase in the immune system’s demand for energy-yielding substrates, including fatty acids, glucose, and amino acids. Some nutrients, such as vitamin A and D, are direct regulators of the gene expression in immune cells. They play essential roles in the maturation, differentiation, and responsiveness of immune cells. Antioxidants also play critical roles in protecting the body against oxidative stress. Classic antioxidant vitamins include vitamin C and E, including antioxidant enzymes such as catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase. Hence, keeping the body well-nourished is crucial to combat the coronavirus pandemic. Good nutrition provides an environment where the immune system can respond quickly and appropriately to infection. Meanwhile, nutrient deficiency makes the body and the immune system unable to work correctly. In a nutshell, keeping the body nourished with vitamins and minerals is essential in the fight against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In some cases, even if a person gets infected, the body’s immune system can readily fight off the pathogen, reducing the risk of developing severe illness. Vitamin A, B6, folate, C, D, and E, including trace elements like zinc, copper, iron, and selenium, have been demonstrated to play key roles in supporting the immune system and reducing the risk of infections. “It would seem prudent for individuals to consume sufficient amounts of essential nutrients to support their immune system to help them to deal with pathogens should they become infected,” the researchers explained. “Consumption of a diet of diverse and varied plant-based and animal-based foods that are consistent with current healthy eating guidelines would be best to support the immune system,” they encouraged. Journal reference: Philip C Calder (2020). Nutrition, immunity, and COVID-19. BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health. https://nutrition.bmj.com/content/3/1/74 To read the original article click here.

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FDA Approves First COVID-19 Drug: Antiviral Remdesivir

AHA Publisher — Mon, 26 Oct 2020 07:00:56 +0000

Associated Press via CBN News – US regulators on Thursday approved the first drug to treat COVID-19: remdesivir, an antiviral medicine given to hospitalized patients through an IV. The drug, which California-based Gilead Sciences Inc. is calling Veklury, cut the time to recovery by five days — from 15 days to 10 on average — in a large study led by the U.S. National Institutes of Health. It had been authorized for use on an emergency basis since spring, and now becomes the first drug to win full Food and Drug Administration approval for treating COVID-19. President Donald Trump received it when he was sickened earlier this month. Veklury is approved for people at least 12 years old and weighing at least 88 pounds (40 kilograms) who are hospitalized for a coronavirus infection. For patients younger than 12, the FDA will still allow the drug’s use in certain cases under its previous emergency authorization. The drug works by inhibiting a substance the virus uses to make copies of itself. Certain kidney and liver tests are required before starting patients on it to ensure it’s safe for them and to monitor for any possible side effects. And the label warns against using it with the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine, because that can curb its effectiveness. “We now have enough knowledge and a growing set of tools to help fight COVID-19,” Gilead’s chief medical officer, Dr. Merdad Parsey, said in a statement. The drug is either approved or has temporary authorization in about 50 countries, he noted. Its price has been controversial, given that no studies have found it improves survival. Last week, a large study led by the World Health Organization found the drug did not help hospitalized COVID-19 patients, but that study did not include a placebo group and was less rigorous than previous ones that found a benefit. The FDA’s approval statement noted that, besides the NIH-led one, two other studies found the drug beneficial. Gilead charges $2,340 for a typical treatment course for people covered by government health programs in the United States and other developed countries, and $3,120 for patients with private insurance. The amount that patients pay out of pocket depends on insurance, income, and other factors. So far, only steroids such as dexamethasone have been shown to cut the risk of dying of COVID-19. The FDA also has given emergency authorization to using the blood of survivors, and two companies are currently seeking similar authorization for experimental antibody drugs. To read the original article click here. For more articles from CBN News click here.

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COVID Doc Says Hydroxychloroquine ‘Highly Effective’ and Fears Are Overblown – Now FDA Chief Admits It Might Help

AHA Publisher — Sat, 01 Aug 2020 07:00:10 +0000

Lori Johnson via CBN News – A Tennessee physician has a message for COVID-19 patients: Use hydroxychloroquine “if you can find a doctor with guts enough to prescribe it.” Meanwhile, the US Food and Drug Commissioner Stephen Hahn said some studies “suggest a benefit” to using the drug on COVID-19, despite the fact that the government agency issued guidance stating the use of the drug should be avoided unless it’s being studied in a clinical trial or for hospital use. In a radio interview, Hahn reiterated the fact that doctors are free to prescribe the drug “off label,” and that the FDA “does not regulate the practice of medicine.” Dr. Tom Rogers is one of those physicians who prescribe hydroxychloroquine to his COVID-19 patients. He told CBN News he personally has found the drug to be a “highly effective” way to treat the virus, provided the drug is prescribed in the early stages of the disease and is combined with the antibiotic azithromycin and a zinc supplement. “It’s a very controversial, kind of ‘Trump drug’,” he told CBN News. “There were initially a bunch of studies that said it worked, and then the powers that be came out with some other studies that said it didn’t work. But there are many, many studies and many doctors who I’ve talked to personally, on the front lines that use it all the time and it works.” He continued, “You have to use it very early,” he said. “The studies that said it didn’t work, those were hospitalized patients that were very sick.” He said possible negative consequences of taking hydroxychloroquine are over-blown. “They’re claiming it causes cardiac arrhythmia, which is rare,” he says. “I’ve never seen that. I’ve talked to rheumatologists who’ve used it for decades, they’ve never seen it.” Dr. Rogers says he prefers to prescribe the hydroxychloroquine cocktail to patients with symptoms such as fever, aches, loss of taste or smell, and believes it can prevent a patient from going to the hospital. In addition to hydroxychloroquine combined with azithromycin and zinc, Dr. Rogers said there are other ways patients in the early stages of COVID-19 can avoid landing in the hospital. Those include the inhaled steroid Budesonide combined with azithromycin and zinc. Budesonide is a common asthma drug he prescribes to patients who test positive for COVID-19 and have mild respiratory symptoms such as “cough, wheezing or shortness of breath that’s not acute yet.” Still, neither hydroxychloroquine nor budesonide is recommended by the FDA to treat COVID-19 because their effectiveness has not been proven in randomized, controlled studies, which is the standard requirement for FDA approval. To read the original article click here. For more articles from CBN News click here.

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Scientists Identify Drug They Hope Can Downgrade COVID-19 to Common Cold Level

AHA Publisher — Mon, 20 Jul 2020 07:00:04 +0000

Israel21c staff via Israel21c – Researchers show the coronavirus causes lungs to accumulate fat, so a cholesterol-lowering drug may help downgrade the virus threat to that of common cold. Could a well-known cholesterol-lowering drug help treat Covid-19? A research team led by Hebrew University of Jerusalem Prof. Yaakov Nahmias says that early research looks promising. Over the last three-months, Nahmias and Dr. Benjamin tenOever at New York’s Mount Sinai Medical Center have focused on the ways in which the SARS-CoV-2 (the coronavirus that’s causing our current pandemic) changes patients’ lungs in order to reproduce itself. Their major finding is that this virus prevents the routine burning of carbohydrates. As a result, large amounts of fat accumulate inside lung cells, and this enables the virus to reproduce. This new understanding of SARS CoV-2 may help explain why patients with high blood sugar and cholesterol levels are often at a particularly high risk to develop Covid-19. With this information in hand, Nahmias and tenOever began to screen FDA-approved medications that interfere with the virus’ ability to reproduce. In lab studies, the cholesterol-lowering drug Fenofibrate (Tricor) showed extremely promising results. By allowing lung cells to burn more fat, fenofibrate broke the virus’ grip on these cells. Within five days of treatment, the virus almost completely disappeared, the researchers report in this week’s Cell Press’ Sneak Peak. “With second-wave infections spiking in countries across the globe, these findings couldn’t come at a better time,” said Nahmias. “If our findings are borne out by clinical studies, this course of treatment could potentially downgrade Covid-19’s severity into nothing worse than a common cold.” To read the original article click here. For more articles from Israel21c click here.

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CBD May Help Reduce Cytokine Storm and Excessive Lung Inflammation in COVID-19

AHA Publisher — Sat, 18 Jul 2020 07:00:22 +0000

Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University via News-Medical Net – Cannabidiol, or CBD, may help reduce the cytokine storm and excessive lung inflammation that is killing many patients with COVID-19, researchers say. While more work, including clinical trials to determine optimal dosage and timing, is needed before CBD becomes part of the treatment for COVID-19, researchers at the Dental College of Georgia and Medical College of Georgia have early evidence it could help patients showing signs of respiratory distress avoid extreme interventions like mechanical ventilation as well as death from acute respiratory distress syndrome. ARDS is a major killer in severe cases of some respiratory viral infections “ARDS is a major killer in severe cases of some respiratory viral infections, including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and we have an urgent need for better intervention and treatment strategies,” says Dr. Babak Baban, immunologist and interim associate dean for research at DCG and corresponding author of the study in the journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research. “Our laboratory studies indicate pure CBD can help the lungs recover from the overwhelming inflammation, or cytokine storm, caused by the COVID-19 virus, and restore healthier oxygen levels in the body.” (Dr. Jack Yu, co-author, physician-scientist and chief of pediatric plastic surgery at MCG) CBD findings Their CBD findings were enabled by their additional finding of a safe and relatively inexpensive model to duplicate the lung damage caused by ARDS. Work on the virus itself is limited to a handful of labs in the nation that can safely manage the highly contagious virus, and their newly reported approach opens more doors for studying SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 and similar virus-induced conditions, they say. Their model, which takes advantage of the large, unique genetic structure of the novel coronavirus, produced classic symptoms of ARDS like the overwhelming, destructive immune response, then CBD significantly downregulated classic indicators of the excess, like inflammation-promoting cytokines as it improved oxygen levels in the blood and enabled the lungs to recover from the structural damage. Major problem with SARS-CoV-2 A major problem with SARS-CoV-2 is instead of just killing the virus, the over-the-top immune response can quickly disable the lungs, transforming them to a place where virus is replicated, rather than a place that makes oxygen available for our bodies and eliminates potentially harmful gases like carbon dioxide. Mechanical ventilators can take over these vital functions for a while, and enable critically ill people to use less energy to just breathe and have more energy to fight infection, while ideally the lungs recover from the assault. However evidence suggests 30-50% of patients who get to the point of mechanical ventilation, don’t survive. Interferon and Interleukin The cytokines in these now famous “storms” are a class of molecules like interferon and interleukin, secreted by immune cells and other cells like endothelial cells that line blood vessels, which impact cell communication and can both promote and deter inflammation. In the case of COVID-19, there is excessive production of inflammation-promoting molecules like the interleukins IL-6 and IL-1β, as well as immune cells like neutrophils and monocytes, the researchers say. They looked at objective measures of lung function in mice like levels of proinflammatory cytokines, oxygen levels in the blood before and after treatment, as well as temperature, an indicator of inflammation. Oxygen levels went up, while temperatures and cytokine levels went down with CBD therapy. Days later, a more detailed analysis of the lungs, reinforced reduction of key indicators of destructive inflammation, which their model, like the virus, drove way up including reduced levels of IL-6 and infiltrating neutrophils. In fact, both clinical symptoms and physical lung changes resulting from ARDS were reversed with CBD treatment, they say. Their model was created with the help of a synthetic analog of double-stranded RNA called POLY (I:C). In humans, our double-stranded DNA contains our genetic information and our single-stranded RNA carries out the instruction of our DNA to make certain proteins. In the family of coronaviruses, the double-stranded RNA carries the genetic material needed to reproduce the viruses and hijacks the cell machinery of our body to do that, Baban says. “The natural instinct of the virus is to make more of itself,” Baban says. “It weaves with our DNA to make the cell produce food and everything it needs.” Viruses also tend to have a tissue or tissues they prefer — some can and do go anywhere — and for SARS-CoV-2, the lungs are high on the list, he says. Double-stranded RNA Our bodies aren’t used to this double-stranded RNA so, like the virus, POLY (I:C) gets the immediate and extreme attention of toll-like receptor 3, a family of receptors that help our body recognize invaders like a virus and activate our frontline, innate immune response. “The toll-like receptors 3 see this and just go nuts,” Yu says. The fact that the coronaviruses are literally big and have the largest known viral RNA genome make such a vigorous cytokine and immune response both plausible and probable, adds Baban. Mice received three, once-a-day doses of POLY (I:C) in the nasal passageway. CBD was given by a shot in the abdomen, the first dose two hours after the second POLY (I:C) treatment, then every other day for a total of three days in a process that sought to mimic mice getting treatment about the time a human would begin to experience trouble breathing and likely seek medical care. Given too early, CBD might actually interfere with a proper immune response against the virus, Yu says. CBD quickly improved the clinical symptoms, then later detailed studies of the lungs showed damage to their structure, like tissue overgrowth, scarring and swelling, also had totally or partially resolved. Their next steps include doing similar studies on other organs impacted by COVID-19 including the gut, heart and brain, Baban says. At least one way CBD is thought to calm the immune response is because it looks similar to endocannabinoids, a natural cell signaling system in our bodies believed to be involved in a wide variety of functions from sleep to reproduction to inflammation and immune response. CB1 and CB2, the main receptors for this system, are found extensively throughout the body including the brain and respiratory system, where we breathe in manmade and natural irritants in the air — as well as viruses and bacteria — that might inflame. While understanding the workings of the natural endocannabinoid system is still very much a work in progress, it’s thought that one way CBD works to reduce seizures, for example, is indirectly through the large number of CB1 receptors in the brain, says Yu. CBD is available without a prescription, and is used to treat problems like seizures as well as Parkinson’s, Crohn’s and other conditions where pain and/or inflammation are a major factor. It’s derived from the hemp and cannabis plant, which are essentially the same although hemp has a much lower concentration of the “high” producing THC. Other investigators have shown the calming effect of CBD, for example, can block IL-6 in other models of inflammatory disease. ARDS is a rapid, severe infection of the lungs that results in widespread inflammation, shortness of breath, rapid breathing and the inability to sustain adequate oxygen levels to the body and brain. Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing are some of the early signs of COVID-19. ARDS is a major cause of death in patients who are critically ill for a variety of reasons, including common sepsis. To read the original article click here.

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