COVID-19: Interferon (IFN)-a2b accelerated healing – natural healing naturopathic specialist portal
Improved treatment of COVID-19 in view?
Treatment with the antiviral drug Interferon (IFN)-a2b seems to reduce the spread of the new Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 in the upper Airways significantly and to reduce the blood levels of two inflammatory proteins. These findings show the potential for the development of an effective antiviral Intervention against COVID-19.
In the current investigation, the research team of Dr. Eleanor Fish from the Toronto General Hospital Research Institute & University of Toronto’s Department of Immunology, it was found that Interferon (IFN)-a2b can accelerate the recovery of COVID-19 diseased people. The results of the study were published in the English scientific journal “Frontiers in Immunology”.
Effects of treatment with interferons
In the explorative study in a cohort of confirmed COVID-19-cases in Wuhan, it was found that treatment with Interferon (IFN)-a2b reduces the viral load in the upper Airways significantly and the Blood levels of Interleukin(IL)-6 and C-reactive Protein (CRP), two inflammatory proteins that occur in the human body, is reduced.
What interferons are?
Interferons are the first line of defense of the people against all viruses. Unfortunately, viruses such as the Coronavirus, however, have evolved in such a way that they block very specific interferon response. This shows the importance of interferons for the elimination of viral infections and the treatment with Interferon, the inhibitory effect of the Virus out, so the research group.
First important findings were made during the SARS outbreak
During the SARS outbreak in 2002 and 2003, the researchers found in a clinical trial, that treatment with Interferon accelerates the resolution of lung abnormalities, compared with persons who were not treated with the drug.
Moderate COVID-19-cases investigated
In the current study, the disease course was investigated in a cohort of 77 persons with confirmed COVID-19. At the of the study participants was moderate cases of COVID-19, since none of the patients Participating was in need of an intensive care or Intubation.
The participants were treated with either IFN-a2b, Arbidol (ARB), or a combination of IFN-a2b plus ARB. The virus of freedom was defined as two consecutive negative Tests for the Virus at a distance of a minimum of 24 hours, explain the researchers.
IFN-a2b accelerated the elimination of the Virus
The Team is noted for each treatment group have a significantly different Rate of elimination of the Virus. In particular, the treatment with IFN-a2b accelerated the so-called Viral-Clearance to about seven days. Treatment with IFN-a2b, alone or in combination with drugs from the class of Angiotensin receptor antagonists (ARB), accelerated the Viral Clearance compared to treatment solely with ARB. The IFN-treatment reduced also the circulating IL-6 and CRP levels significantly, either alone or in combination with ARB, adds the research group.
Important findings about COVID-19
The new study provides several important and novel findings about COVID-19, in particular, that the treatment with IFN-a2b reduces the Viral Clearance in the upper respiratory tract is accelerated, and also the circulating inflammatory biomarkers.
Reprogram instead of develop?
Instead of developing for each new virus outbreak, a virus-specific antiviral agents, should interferon be used as a first Option for the treatment of consideration, explain the researchers. Interferons are already approved for many years for clinical use, so that the strategy would be to quasi for severe acute viral infections to re-program.
Further research is needed
Next, a randomized clinical trial should be conducted with a larger cohort of infected persons, which will be treated in accordance with the random principle with Interferon-alpha or Placebo, explain the researchers. Until then, the results of this study remain the first, on the therapeutic efficacy of IFN-a2b as a available anti-viral Intervention for COVID-19 indicate that. (as)
