Discovering the "panacea to kill Covid-19" in green tea: Prospects for breakthrough drugs?

(CNN) - The surprising compounds in green tea have both the ability to make the SARS-CoV-2 virus "premature" and fight a series of dangerous damage that this virus can cause to the body. People.

Drinking green tea  is not enough to help you fight SARS-CoV-2, but a drug from it most likely. Scientists from the Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing University Medical School and Yixing Hospital affiliated to Jiangsu University (China) have identified several compounds that hold promise for creating a breakthrough drug. breakthrough in both treatment and prevention of Covid-19.

According to an article just published in the magazine  Forntiers in Nutrition, the biggest "removal" of Covid-19 in green tea is the famous thing called EGCG.

Green tea could be the start of a breakthrough drug in both prevention and treatment of Covid-19 (Illustration from the Internet)

Previously, many studies have shown that EGCG is also a "panacea" against a variety of health problems from tumor suppression to bacterial diseases, strong anti-inflammatory, inhibits liver fat, cholesterol, prevents fibrosis atherosclerotic plaque.

New research shows that it is also a fearsome antidote to SARS-CoV-2, which attacks the virus simultaneously in many ways.

First, EGCG has the ability to inhibit the ACE2 receptor - the "gateway" that SARS-CoV-2 needs to enter the human body. If fortunately "passed", SARS-CoV-2 continues to face the ability to fight virus replication through "blocking" a number of important intracellular reactions.

EGCG continues to attack the number of survivors by inhibiting the life cycle of the virus by encapsulating several important genes in the human body that the virus can take advantage of. If the virus is too strong, EGCG has one last card left: with its powerful anti-inflammatory properties, it combats acute lung damage associated with "cytokine storms", reducing the risk of thrombosis, sepsis and pulmonary fibrosis. .

The better news is that aside from EGCG, many other ingredients in green tea possess some of the same properties.

Because green tea used in its raw form - taken directly - is not enough to produce the above miraculous effects, scientists will have to continue working to prepare green tea extracts that contain the necessary compounds. into a drug.

But the discovery was a big step forward because pharmaceuticals based on natural ingredients are often safe and sustainable, and have high potential for applications to other diseases.