3 ms·

So, I'm no medical professional, just an avid reader of such news. But I believe that most of this post is incorrect. I've seen no studies backing up the use o

So, I'm no medical professional, just an avid reader of such news. But I believe that most of this post is incorrect. I've seen no studies backing up the use of zinc for anything related to COVID-19. A search of pubmed for the terms 'covid zinc' or 'coronavirus zinc' show no papers referencing treatments. Same goes for medrxiv. There are a lot of cold "treatments" involving the use of zinc in the way you suggest. I have even seen studies which support its use as a prophylactic to the common cold (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3273967/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3273967/) though that one makes no reference to a common side effect, particularly the way you recommend its use, which is loss of sense of smell. Further, I haven't read anywhere about the mechanism of infection you propose for this disease. It is said to attack the lungs, liver and small intestine due to its furin cleavage site (https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.02.10.942185v1 https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.02.10.942185v1). Finally, I am nearly certain you are spreading bad information about how this treatment works. Chloroquine is provided after active symptoms present. The first few days of infection are asymptomatic for most patients, certainly the first 4-7 days, if not longer. There is no medical call for treatment until a patient presents symptoms, and your advice risks leading people to attempt to hoard this medication. We agree that chloroquine is indeed cheap.

ComputerGuru 7y ago
Not vouching for the suggested treatment but chloroquine acts as a zinc ionophere enabling increased zinc binding/intake in cells, inhibiting RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, which would theoretically ultimately encumber the replication of the virus.
- dboreham 7y ago
  Right. The Zinc is already present intercellular, unless the patient is Zinc deficient.
WilsonPaige 7y ago
jimmyswimmy says "I've seen no studies backing up the use of zinc for anything related to COVID-19." It would be very early for posts specific to Covid-19. However that was not the claim: the claim was, verbatim, "A zinc tablet (10-80 mg) dissolved slowly in the mouth, lavaging the throat and nose, while lying down will cease coronaviral replication on most of the surfaces of the upper respiratory system. Zinc sprays also work. This must be done within the first 3-4 days of infection with covid-19." Covid-19 is a corona virus and, like all corona viruses, ceases to replicate in the presence of high zinc levels on the epitheleal surfaces. There are many studies re zinc and the way it halts viral replication: https://www.bing.com/search?q=zinc+halts+viruses+in+vitro&form=OPRTSD&pc=OPER https://www.bing.com/search?q=zinc+halts+viruses+in+vitro&fo... As I believe I stated ealier, I made no claims as to mechanism. I wish to point out that probably most of your information about chloroquine is based on the treatment of other diseases, and likely specifically malaria. It is by no means clear that the dose required for malaria is the same as the dose required for Covid-19, which indeed may be an order of magnitude or more less. Time will tell. As for presenting symptoms, once again I believe this to be take from the malaria playbook. Researchers right now are testing chloroquine for prophylaxis (prevention) as well as treatment, _before_ symptoms present (certainly before serious symptoms present). What I'm saying is that it is a different ailment and the protocols (and restrictions as to timing) for malaria may, indeed, probably do not apply.

ComputerGuru 7y ago

Not vouching for the suggested treatment but chloroquine acts as a zinc ionophere enabling increased zinc binding/intake in cells, inhibiting RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, which would theoretically ultimately encumber the replication of the virus.

dboreham 7y ago
Right. The Zinc is already present intercellular, unless the patient is Zinc deficient.

WilsonPaige 7y ago

jimmyswimmy says "I've seen no studies backing up the use of zinc for anything related to COVID-19." It would be very early for posts specific to Covid-19. However that was not the claim: the claim was, verbatim, "A zinc tablet (10-80 mg) dissolved slowly in the mouth, lavaging the throat and nose, while lying down will cease coronaviral replication on most of the surfaces of the upper respiratory system. Zinc sprays also work. This must be done within the first 3-4 days of infection with covid-19." Covid-19 is a corona virus and, like all corona viruses, ceases to replicate in the presence of high zinc levels on the epitheleal surfaces. There are many studies re zinc and the way it halts viral replication: https://www.bing.com/search?q=zinc+halts+viruses+in+vitro&form=OPRTSD&pc=OPER https://www.bing.com/search?q=zinc+halts+viruses+in+vitro&fo... As I believe I stated ealier, I made no claims as to mechanism. I wish to point out that probably most of your information about chloroquine is based on the treatment of other diseases, and likely specifically malaria. It is by no means clear that the dose required for malaria is the same as the dose required for Covid-19, which indeed may be an order of magnitude or more less. Time will tell. As for presenting symptoms, once again I believe this to be take from the malaria playbook. Researchers right now are testing chloroquine for prophylaxis (prevention) as well as treatment, _before_ symptoms present (certainly before serious symptoms present). What I'm saying is that it is a different ailment and the protocols (and restrictions as to timing) for malaria may, indeed, probably do not apply.