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Quercetin as a possible complementary agent for early-stage COVID-19: Concluding results of a randomized clinical trial

Authors :
Francesco Di Pierro
Amjad Khan
Somia Iqtadar
Sami Ullah Mumtaz
Muhammad Nabeel Akbar Chaudhry
Alexander Bertuccioli
Giuseppe Derosa
Pamela Maffioli
Stefano Togni
Antonella Riva
Pietro Allegrini
Martino Recchia
Nicola Zerbinati
Source :
Frontiers in Pharmacology, Vol 13 (2023)
Publication Year :
2023
Publisher :
Frontiers Media S.A., 2023.

Abstract

Background: Quercetin, a natural polyphenol with demonstrated broad-spectrum antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties, has been proposed as an adjuvant for early-stage coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection.Objective: To explore the possible therapeutic effect of quercetin in outpatients with early-stage mild to moderate symptoms of COVID-19.Methods: This was an open-label randomized controlled clinical trial conducted at the department of medicine, King Edward Medical University, Lahore, PK. Patients were randomized to receive either standard of care (SC) plus an oral quercetin supplement (500 mg Quercetin Phytosome®, 1st week, TDS: 2nd week, BDS) (n = 50, quercetin group) or SC alone (n = 50, control group).Results: After one week of treatment, patients in the quercetin group showed a speedy recovery from COVID-19 as compared to the control group, i.e., 34 patients (vs. 12 in the control group) tested negative for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) (p = 0.0004), and 26 patients (vs. 12 in the control group) had their COVID-19-associated acute symptoms resolved (p = 0.0051). Patients in the quercetin group also showed a significant fall in the serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) mean values i.e., from 406.56 ± 183.92 to 257.74 ± 110.73 U/L, p = 0.0001. Quercetin was well-tolerated by all the 50 patients, and no side effects were reported.Conclusion: Our results, suggest the possible therapeutic role of quercetin in early-stage COVID-19, including speedy clearance of SARS-CoV-2, early resolution of the acute symptoms and modulation of the host’s hyperinflammatory response.Clinical Trial Registration:clinicaltrials.gov, identifier NCT04861298

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
16639812
Volume :
13
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Frontiers in Pharmacology
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.1de7d2d3e954d539f58f6b5f33d8503
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2022.1096853