Drugs Used to Treat COVID-19
Some epidemiologists have said that if it were possible to wave a magic wand and make all Americans freeze in place for 14 days, while sitting six feet apart, the whole epidemic would sputter to a halt. The reality is this is both not true to stop the spread of an infection in a world where we are more interconnected than ever before.
Conventional medicine has proven time and again that it has little to offer for the effective treatment of coronavirus (COVID-19). All they can recommend for those with mild, flu-like symptoms and those who test positive is to stay at home in isolation. In severe cases, patients are hospitalized, given oxygen, IV fluids, and possibly ventilation.
What we know about Coronavirus (COVID-19)
When a virus enters a cell, it creates reactive oxygen species (ROS) leading to inflammation. There are two virulence factors associated with COVID-19 that spark severe inflammation leading to a cytokine storm. This cytokine storm can lead to critical symptoms associated with COVID-19. In other words, inflammation produces cytokines, which recruit more white blood cells to make more inflammatory cytokines. This sets the stage for a severe adverse health outcome.
Fortunately, oxidative damage and cytokine storms are reduced by various natural therapies and lifestyle decisions. Quality sleep and stress reduction helps to reduce inflammatory cytokines, thereby decreasing inflammation.
Prescription Drugs Used to Treat COVID-19
Hydroxychloroquine has been traditionally used as an antimalarial drug and for the treatment of lupus and rheumatoid arthritis (both conditions which have a significant amount of underlying inflammation). One possible mechanism of Hydroxychloroquine is that it helps zinc enter cells to boost the immune system and kill pathogens. Zinc is necessary for the development and function of white blood cells, our first line of defense for an ensuing infection.
Hydroxychloroquine causes many critical side effects which must be considered when prescribing this drug. It can easily damage the digestive system and cause increased intestinal hyperpermeability (also called leaky gut). This leads to toxins and pathogens typically contained inside the digestive tract to easily leak out into the bloodstream and trigger a massive systemic inflammatory reaction. Hydroxychloroquine is associated with triggering dangerous heart arrhythmias, further compromise the immune system, and other deadly consequences.
Remdesivir is also being used to treat a small subset of people infected with COVID-19. Remdesivir works by mimicking one of the genetic components that the virus uses to make more copies of itself. The substitute blocks the virus from replicating its genome, thereby jamming up the viral copy machine.
Remdesivir was developed as a possible treatment for Ebola, but when early trials against that epidemic were disappointing, development was put on hold. Previous studies demonstrated that Remdesivir actually had much stronger antiviral activity against Coronaviruses like SARS and MERS than against Ebola. Thus, when Coronavirus COVID-19 emerged, scientists aware of the previous lab studies began using the drug to treat the new disease.
Unlike Hydroxychloroquine, Remdesivir is not approved for treating any disease, so doctors cannot use it “off label” to treat COVID-19 patients. Though, they can ask the manufacturer to provide the drug on a “compassionate use” basis to treat the sickest patients (i.e. those who have no other treatment options).
The University of Chicago results follow other encouraging findings from a study published April 10th, 2020 in the New England Journal of Medicine that followed 53 patients who were treated with Remdesivir in the U.S., Europe, Canada and Japan on the aforementioned compassionate use basis. In that study, 68% improved and 57% of those needing ventilators no longer needed mechanical breathing support after taking the drug for 10 days (Grein, 2020).
If the goal of any therapy is to stop reproduction of the virus, the good news is there are several food which possess critical antiviral components. These include:
turmeric,
citrus,
rosemary,
luteolin (found in celery, thyme, green peppers and chamomile tea),
quercetin (found in apples, red onions, capers, fennel leaves, kale, broccoli, and green tea),
andrographis (Andrographis paniculata),
Chinese Skullcap (Scutellaria baicalensis),
green tea (Camellia Sinensis).
pectolinarin (a Cirsium or thistle plant isolate),
Hesperidin (found in orange and lemon peels),
cannabinoids (in cannabis)
Based on recent computational and experimental studies by Utomo & Meiyanto (2020), hesperidin stands out for its high binding affinity to the main cellular receptors of COVID-19, outperforms any conventional pharmaceutical drugs [i.e., chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine sulfate, and Nelfinavir (an HIV antiviral)].
Thus, eating the skin of an orange, lemon and apple, adding lemon zest, rosemary, thistle, fennel to your meals, and having a celery-kale-leafy green salad dressed with capers plus a cup of green tea (not coffee or alcohol) most days are very promising for preventing and treating coronavirus.
Prevention of COVID-19:
Hydrate adequately every day with WATER. Aim to have at least half your weight in oz or about 4 liters per day.
Avoid dehydrating beverages (i.e., alcohol, coffee, black tea, soda, fruit juices) since they deplete the immune system.
Use oil-based soap such as Dr. Bronner’s Castille soap) and water for hand washing.
Strive for 8 hours of sleep every night.
Fast 14-16 hours at night to reduce pathogen load. This simply means having an earlier (and ideally, lighter) dinner.
Avoid consuming animal protein such as meat, fish, eggs, and dairy products. They are the biggest source of coronavirus and other antibiotic-resistance pathogen exposure since they have been proven to be transmitted through food. These types of protein also damage the kidneys and detoxification.
Focus on consuming whole plant-based foods such as leafy greens, bell peppers, ancient whole grains (i.e., quinoa, millet, amaranth) dressed with fresh herbs, spices (i.e., turmeric), lemon. Enjoy an orange or apple a day (peel included).
Avoid nicotine and smoking any other drugs (i.e., marijuana). This includes vaping.
Avoid heartburn medications (i.e., PPIs/antacids) and NSAIDs (i.e., Aspirin, Motrin, Advil, Aleve).
Possibly hold taking hormone replacement or birth control pills if possible since they accelerate malabsorption of critical nutrients and antioxidants. In the long run, they can suppress the immune system.
AUTHOR
Dr. Payal Bhandari M.D. is one of U.S.'s top leading integrative functional medical physicians and the founder of SF Advanced Health. She combines the best in Eastern and Western Medicine to understand the root causes of diseases and provide patients with personalized treatment plans that quickly deliver effective results. Dr. Bhandari specializes in cell function to understand how the whole body works. Dr. Bhandari received her Bachelor of Arts degree in biology in 1997 and Doctor of Medicine degree in 2001 from West Virginia University. She the completed her Family Medicine residency in 2004 from the University of Massachusetts and joined a family medicine practice in 2005 which was eventually nationally recognized as San Francisco’s 1st patient-centered medical home. To learn more, go to www.sfadvancedhealth.com.