A Tablet a Day Keeps COVID Away

Audrey Yu - Department of Public Health

Link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jff.2023.105544

Over the many years of hardships with COVID-19, the world is discovering more and more ways to combat the virus, including the article "Chewable tablet with herbal extracts and propolis arrest Wuhan and Omicron variants of SARS-CoV-2 virus" by Karaoglu et al. This study focuses on designing an efficient, safe chewable tablet that prevents COVID-19 infections. The chewable tablet composed of green tea, bilberry, pomegranate peel, and propolis extracts was formulated and showed anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, and anti-mutagenic effects on the Wuhan and Omicron variants of COVID-19. Specifically, the tablet lowered virus efficacy by 81% for the Omicron variant and 35% for the Wuhan variant. The formulation was also shown to be safe for consumption, and the study hopes it can be used as a dietary supplement to prevent COVID-19.

While it was recently declared that COVID-19 is no longer a global health emergency, COVID-19 is still a major public health concern and an ongoing pandemic. This study aspires to add to the many preventative methods against COVID-19. As mentioned before, the formulation was not only anti-viral but also anti-mutagenic. This means the tablet can also help prevent COVID-19 strains from mutating into new variants. Furthermore, by being only compromised of herbal components, this dietary supplement can provide an alternative prevention method for the immunocompromised who cannot receive vaccines. As a chewable dietary supplement, it can easily be incorporated into daily routines. Preventative measures and efforts like this study remain critical for the ongoing COVID-19 health crisis.

References:

Karaoğlu, Ö., Serhatlı, M., Pelvan, E., Karadeniz, B., Demirtas, I., Çakırca, G., Sipahi, H., Özhan, Y., Karapınar, G., Charehsaz, M., Aydın, A., Yesilada, E., & Alasalvar, C. (2023). Chewable tablet with herbal extracts and propolis arrests Wuhan and omicron variants of SARS-COV-2 virus. Journal of Functional Foods, 105, 105544. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jff.2023.105544