COVID-19 treatment Archives - Amazing Health Advances

Study Identifies New Approach for Developing Simple-to-Use, ‘Shelf-Available’ COVID Treatment Options

AHA Publisher — Mon, 18 Jul 2022 07:00:26 +0000

Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) via Newswise – An array of new, simple “shelf-available” SARS-CoV-2 treatment options could soon be available in the fight against COVID thanks to a new study, “Engineered ACE2-Fc counters murine lethal SARS-CoV-2 infection through direct neutralization and Fc-effector activities,” published July 13 in Science Advances. The researchers, led by Dr. Marzena Pazgier, Professor of Medicine at USU, Infectious Disease Division of Department of Medicine, in collaboration with researchers from the National Institutes of Health (NIH),Yale University, Centre de Recherche du CHUM (CRCHUM) at Université de Montréal and Dartmouth College, used a strategy to design new therapeutics to treat SARS-CoV-2 by adopting the protein that the virus naturally uses as an entry portal to infect human cells. The protein is called the ACE2 receptor and it is found on the surface of airway cells and other tissues. By making this protein in a soluble form (not bound to a cell) and by modifying it by attaching part of an antibody, researchers created a drug named ACE2-Fc. Because of the attached antibody portion, ACE2-Fc neutralizes the virus, and binds to cells of the immune system, signaling them to effectively eliminate the virus and infected cells. In addition, by structure-based design, the researchers identified and introduced three ACE2 mutations that significantly enhanced the activity of ACE2-Fc against most of currently known variants of SARS-CoV-2, including the Delta and Omicron variants. The researchers believe that by using this strategy it is possible to develop inexpensive, simple-to-use, shelf-available treatment options to combat the virus, shorten recovery times and reduce the severity of any subsequent complications, while also cutting down on the need for repeated vaccinations. Additionally, these new potential treatment options could also be suitable for patients with or without cardiovascular complications. With more than six million deaths worldwide as a result of the pandemic, there has been a significant impact on the general population and military members, dependents, veterans, and operations. Studies have also shown that about 10 percent of adults are also experiencing long-haul symptoms in the weeks after a COVID infection that can include cognitive issues, shortness of breath, activity-limiting fatigue, cough, and headaches. In this latest study, researchers sought to develop new treatment options that could prevent and treat new infections, therefore preventing long-haul symptoms, which could, ultimately, also help bypass the need for repeated vaccinations. “Our overall goal is to save lives by developing a simple-to-use COVID-19 treatment that could be used to prevent and treat current and future outbreaks. One huge advantage of utilizing ACE2 to counter coronaviruses is that SARS-CoV-2 and all its known mutants including Delta and the recent Omicron can be targeted and inactivated by ACE2-Fc therapeutic as they need to use ACE2 to bind and enter human cells. This means that no matter which variant of the virus infects or how much it has changed, this drug will always be able to bind to and kill it.” said Dr. Pazgier, the study’s lead and corresponding author. To read the original article click here.

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Monoclonal Antibody Treatment Taken by Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients Reduces Mortality

AHA Publisher — Mon, 11 Jul 2022 07:00:54 +0000

Duke Health via New-Medical – A monoclonal antibody treatment taken by patients hospitalized with COVID-19 did not improve recovery time but did reduce deaths, according to a study published July 8 in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine. The therapy, tixagevimab/cilgavimab, was developed and deployed quickly in response to the pandemic. Data was analyzed as part of an international NIH-sponsored clinical trial, including a site at Duke that enrolled about 10% of the study participants. In the very early days of COVID, approximately 25 percent of hospitalized patients died from their illness, and there was a huge imperative to find something that works. Now, with better therapies, in addition to better population immunity from vaccination and prior infections, that number is down. We still have work to do, and trials like this one help point us to additional therapies that may benefit our patients. Thomas Holland, M.D., co-lead author, infectious disease specialist and associate professor of medicine at Duke Data on another successful approach, using the immune modulator baricitinib in combination with the antiviral remdesivir, were also recently reported in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine. Lead author Cameron Wolfe, M.D. is an infectious disease specialist and associate professor of medicine at Duke. “The big picture is, monoclonal antibodies are a full-spectrum treatment,” Wolfe said. “They have a role from prevention, treatment of early disease, and hospitalized respiratory failure. We are hopeful this could be another class of medications for use in hospitals for COVID patients.” In the study of tixagevimab/cilgavimab, the phase 3 placebo-controlled trial included 1,455 patients and took place at 81 sites on four continents. Duke enrolled 147 patients, making it the highest enrolling site. Patients were randomized and infused with tixagevimab/cilgavimab or a placebo, in addition to remdesivir and other standard care. By day 90, sustained recovery was achieved by 87% of people who were given tixagevimab/cilgavimab and 84% of placebo group participants. Mortality was lower by nearly 4% in the tixagevimab/cilgavimab group. “One out of every three patients who would have died without the treatment survived after receiving the monoclonal antibodies,” said co-lead author Adit Ginde, MD, MPH, professor of emergency medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and emergency department physician at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital. “That’s a remarkable signal for benefit and suggests that this and other similar treatments may save lives in patients with severe COVID-19.” In addition to Holland and Ginde, a full list of study authors is included on the study. To read the original article click here.

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Researchers Discover New, Potent COVID-19 Antibody Cocktail

AHA Publisher — Wed, 23 Mar 2022 07:00:34 +0000

Texas Biomedical Research Institute via Newswise – SAN ANTONIO (March 18, 2022) – As SARS-CoV-2 has continued to evolve and outsmart existing treatments, scientists have not let up looking for ever-more effective tools to keep people safe and successfully recover from COVID-19, and to prepare for future outbreaks. A long-time partnership between Texas Biomedical Research Institute Professor Luis Martinez-Sobrido and University of Alabama at Birmingham Associate Professor James Kobie has resulted in the discovery of a promising treatment – one that the virus cannot so easily escape. The collaborators found two antibodies that target different parts of the virus’s spike protein and more importantly, block different steps required for viral infection. “This cocktail has worked against all SARS-CoV-2 variants, including Omicron, as well as SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV – the two coronaviruses that caused past outbreaks,” says Martinez-Sobrido. “Given that, we expect this antibody cocktail to also work against future coronavirus outbreaks as well.” The researchers recently shared a pre-print of their research paper describing the cocktail. The first antibodytargets the top of the spike protein, which helps block the virus from entering a person’s cells. It is similar to other antibody treatments, but continues to work against the latest variants, while others have not. The second antibody targets a lower section of the spike protein, which helps block the virus from fusing with the cell’s membrane and releasing its genetic material into the cell. This second antibody has the potential to be a game changer because it is targeting a much more stable section of coronaviruses that has been conserved, or remains the same, in SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV through all the variants of SARS-CoV-2, including Omicron. SARS-CoV-2 has continued to evolve throughout the pandemic, as is typical and expected of any virus. Some of those mutations have meant other antibodies can no longer latch on and neutralize the virus. But if SARS-CoV-2 mutates this stable lower section of the spike’s stem, it will not be able to replicate inside its host, and would die out. “It is the Achilles’ heel of the virus,” says Tracey Baas, Innovations Manager at Texas Biomed and manager for the Vaccine Development Center of San Antonio. The antibodies were found in the serum of recovered COVID-19 patients. The UAB team collected blood samples for research with patients’ informed consent, and screened them for SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies. The UAB team then replicated the antibodies in large enough quantities so they could be used in multiple studies. Those antibodies were sent to Texas Biomed, where researchers tested them against the virus in biosafety laboratories, first in cells and then in small animal models, which were established or validated at Texas Biomed. The team was able to see the results in cells and animal models in real time using fluorescent viruses they developed. “We have tested hundreds and hundreds of antibodies since the start of the pandemic,” Martinez-Sobrido says. “But all that effort paid off by identifying these two novel antibodies that target different parts of the spike protein, making for an extremely effective, broad-spectrum treatment.” UAB and Texas Biomed teamed up with Aridis Pharmaceuticals to develop successful antibody candidates into an inhaled treatment, much like inhalers for asthma. This delivery system promises to be low cost and easy to distribute because it can be self-administered. “Our researchers used their decades of experience to step back and look for solutions to tough problems,” says Cory Hallam, VP of Business Development at Texas Biomed. “But we are not in the business of manufacturing treatments; we partner with industry to quickly translate discoveries made in our labs into approved products to treat people.” Texas Biomed is actively working with Aridis to identify potential manufacturing partners that can produce the treatments, so they can move into human clinical trials. The antibodies have many promising applications, by treating those who fall ill around the world, and by providing antibodies to people who have trouble creating their own even though they have been vaccinated. “Right now, we don’t have a sterilizing vaccine for COVID-19 like we do for polio, so these antibodies help complete the package of prevention and treatment,” Hallam says. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation recently awarded Aridis, in collaboration with Texas Biomed and UAB, nearly $2 million to develop low cost, inhaled antibody treatments for COVID-19, the flu and other infectious pathogens. Some of that funding will support continued research, development and testing at Texas Biomed, including studies to ensure the cocktail remains effective as new variants emerge. To read the original article click here.

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How Diet, Supplements and Lifestyle Changes Can Help Battle COVID

AHA Publisher — Mon, 07 Feb 2022 08:00:30 +0000

Dr. Tomislav Meštrović, MD, Ph.D. via News-Medical – A recent editorial in the journal Nutrients emphasizes how efficacious non-pharmacological interventions in conjunction with the promotion of healthy lifestyle and dietary patterns may improve overall health status and reduce the risk of infection with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), as well as the potential adverse effects of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). COVID-19 still affects our daily lives in 2022 and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Although advancements in science have focused on developing vaccines, producing/repurposing therapeutics, and promoting non-pharmacological interventions to lower disease burden, a fifth pandemic wave is now imminent in various parts of the world. An undervalued mitigation strategy in preventing manifold adverse effects of COVID-19 is to actively promote healthy lifestyle patterns together with non-pharmacological interventions. This is becoming increasingly important in areas disadvantaged by their lack of access to vaccines. Furthermore, lifestyle and dietary changes may offer additional protection and improve overall health. It is well known that inadequate nutritional status can be a serious risk factor for severe respiratory diseases and comorbidities (e.g., increased blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes), increasing the risk for severe disease and fatal outcomes in COVID-19 patients. This is why MDPI’s journal Nutrients developed a special issue that aimed for research articles investigating nutritional status, lifestyle/dietary alterations, as well as the use of supplements concerning SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 outcomes. In this editorial, Dr. Ronan Lordan from the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, and Dr. William B. Grant from the Sunlight, Nutrition, and Health Research Center in San Francisco present these non-pharmacological advances in the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic. The Importance of Vitamin D and Zinc Two studies were published in this special issue that supported the idea that vitamin D deficiency is pervasive among patients hospitalized for COVID-19 – one from the United Arab Emirates and the other one from Russia. Both studies emphasize that sufficient vitamin D levels may be clinically relevant, acting as a predictor of COVID-19 patient outcomes. Another study from Saudi Arabia was a clinical trial that involved 69 SARS-CoV-2-positive patients that were hospitalized with mild to moderate COVID-19 in 2020 and showed that higher supplemental doses of vitamin D achieve much more favorable clinical benefits. Moreover, patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 had substantially lower serum zinc concentrations than non-infected individuals; nonetheless, the difference between zinc concentrations for those with mild and those with moderate disease severity was not significant. Also, the use of high-dose zinc salts found significant improvements after only one day of treatment Dietary Supplements and Nutraceuticals In this Special Issue, two natural products known as Glycyrrhiza glabra extract and hesperidin may have a role in inhibiting viral entry via angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2), which are two pivotal cellular proteins that SARS-CoV-2 uses to enter mammalian cells. Furthermore, the author group from Poland has also reported that vitamin D was actually the most popular supplement during the second wave of the pandemic that started in September 2020; more specifically, vitamin D was taken by 23%, 38%, and 33% of study respondents during the first, second and third wave of the pandemic, respectively. Other researchers that have contributed to this Special Issue had a much broader research interest in the potential nutritional requirements and supply chain issues that arose during the pandemic, highlighting programs in the United States distributing healthy meals and snacks. Unintended Consequences of COVID-19 Response Another salient research area tackled in this Special Issue was the unintended consequences of the COVID-19 response. One notable example is the study that showed weight gain among school teachers in Long Island (New York) who switched from in-person to online forms of teaching. Emotional eating during the pandemic is also an issue, as demonstrated in Norway with a notable increase in high-sugar foods and beverage intake. The authors have also suggested the need for nutritional and psychosocial education and interventions during regular pregnancy monitoring. In conclusion, additional broad-ranging research endeavors will be needed to fully grasp how the majority of the adverse effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 could be prevented through diet, supplements and lifestyle changes. Journal reference: Lordan, R. & Grant, W.B. (2021). Preventing the Adverse Effects of SARS-CoV-2 Infection and COVID-19 through Diet, Supplements, and Lifestyle. Nutrients. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14010115, https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/1/115 To read the original article click here.

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UK Gives OK to Merck’s Breakthrough Anti-COVID Pill, Pfizer Announces Its Antiviral Pill Works Too

AHA Publisher — Mon, 08 Nov 2021 08:00:32 +0000

CBN News – The United Kingdom granted conditional authorization Thursday to the first pill officially shown to successfully treat COVID-19. It’s the first country to OK the treatment from drugmaker Merck, but it is not known when the pill will be available to the public. Those with mild to moderate COVID symptoms would take four pills of molnupiravir, twice a day for five days. Adults 18 or older who have tested positive for COVID-19 and who could be at risk for developing severe disease, including people with issues like obesity or heart disease, are slated to be the first patients to receive the pill. Molnupiravir is also pending review with regulators in the U.S., the European Union, and other countries. Merck has said it can produce 10 million treatment courses through the end of the year, but much of that supply has already been purchased by governments worldwide, so initial supplies of the pill could be limited. “Today is a historic day for our country, as the U.K. is now the first country in the world to approve an antiviral that can be taken at home for COVID-19,” British Health Secretary Sajid Javid said. “We are working at pace across the government and with the NHS to set out plans to deploy molnupiravir to patients through a national study as soon as possible,” he said in a statement, referring to the U.K.’s National Health Service. Doctors said the treatment would be particularly significant for people who don’t respond well to vaccination. Merck announced preliminary results in September showing its drug cut hospitalizations and deaths by half among patients with early COVID-19 symptoms. The results haven’t yet been peer-reviewed or published in a scientific journal. Pfizer Announces Another Pill to Fight COVID On Friday, Pfizer also announced it has successfully tested an experimental antiviral pill for COVID-19 as well. Pfizer claims its pill cut rates of hospitalization and death by nearly 90%. Fewer than 1% of patients taking the drug needed to be hospitalized and no one died. “We were hoping that we had something extraordinary, but it’s rare that you see great drugs come through with almost 90% efficacy and 100% protection for death,” said Dr. Mikael Dolsten, Pfizer’s chief scientific officer. How Merck’s Drug Works The Merck drug targets an enzyme the coronavirus uses to reproduce itself, inserting errors into its genetic code that slow its ability to spread and take over human cells. That genetic activity has led some independent experts to question whether the drug could potentially cause mutations leading to birth defects or tumors. Britain’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency said molnupiravir’s ability to interact with DNA and cause mutations had been studied “extensively” and that it wasn’t found to pose a risk to humans. “Studies in rats showed that (molnupiravir) may cause harmful effects to the unborn offspring, although this was at doses which were higher than those that will be given to humans, and these effects were not observed in other animals,” the agency said in an email. Last week, Merck agreed to allow other drugmakers to make its COVID-19 pill, in a move aimed at helping millions of people in poorer countries receive the pill. The Medicines Patent Pool, a U.N.-backed group, said Merck will not receive royalties under the agreement for as long as the World Health Organization deems COVID-19 to be a global emergency. The U.S. has agreed to pay roughly $700 per course of the drug for about 1.7 million treatments. Merck says it plans to use a tiered pricing strategy for developing countries. A review by Harvard University and King’s College London estimated the drug costs about $18 to make each 40-pill course of treatment. Will Merck’s Pill Be Approved in the US? As CBN News reported last month, Merck requested U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorization for its COVID pill. The FDA said it would convene a panel of independent experts to scrutinize the pill’s safety and effectiveness later this month. “Of importance is that in the placebo group there were eight deaths, and in the treatment group there were no deaths,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. “That’s also very important and very good news.” Molnupiravir was initially studied as a potential flu therapy with funding from the U.S. government. Last year, researchers at Emory University decided to repurpose the drug as a potential COVID-19 treatment. They then licensed the drug to Ridgeback and partner Merck. To read the original article click here.

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NIH Researchers Identify Potential New Antiviral Drug for COVID-19

AHA Publisher — Tue, 08 Jun 2021 07:00:34 +0000

NIH/Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development via EurekAlert – The experimental drug TEMPOL may be a promising oral antiviral treatment for COVID-19, suggests a study of cell cultures by researchers at the National Institutes of Health. TEMPOL can limit SARS-CoV-2 infection by impairing the activity of a viral enzyme called RNA replicase. The work was led by researchers at NIH’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). The study appears in Science. “We urgently need additional effective, accessible treatments for COVID-19,” said Diana W. Bianchi, M.D., NICHD Director. “An oral drug that prevents SARS-CoV-2 from replicating would be an important tool for reducing the severity of the disease.” The study team was led by Tracey A. Rouault, M.D., head of the NICHD Section on Human Iron Metabolism. It discovered TEMPOL’s effectiveness by evaluating a more basic question on how the virus uses its RNA replicase, an enzyme that allows SARS-CoV-2 to replicate its genome and make copies of itself once inside a cell. Researchers tested whether the RNA replicase (specifically the enzyme’s nsp12 subunit) requires iron-sulfur clusters for structural support. Their findings indicate that the SARS-CoV-2 RNA replicase requires two iron-sulfur clusters to function optimally. Earlier studies had mistakenly identified these iron-sulfur cluster binding sites for zinc-binding sites, likely because iron-sulfur clusters degrade easily under standard experimental conditions. Identifying this characteristic of the RNA replicase also enables researchers to exploit a weakness in the virus. TEMPOL can degrade iron-sulfur clusters, and previous research from the Rouault Lab has shown the drug may be effective in other diseases that involve iron-sulfur clusters. In cell culture experiments with live SARS-CoV-2 virus, the study team found that the drug can inhibit viral replication. Based on previous animal studies of TEMPOL in other diseases, the study authors noted that the TEMPOL doses used in their antiviral experiments could likely be achieved in tissues that are primary targets for the virus, such as the salivary glands and the lungs. “Given TEMPOL’s safety profile and the dosage considered therapeutic in our study, we are hopeful,” said Dr. Rouault. “However, clinical studies are needed to determine if the drug is effective in patients, particularly early in the disease course when the virus begins to replicate.” The study team plans on conducting additional animal studies and will seek opportunities to evaluate TEMPOL in a clinical study of COVID-19. 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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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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