SOLVING COVID-19 PROBLEM

Abstract

Coronavirus infection, in other words, COVID-19, is a severe acute respiratory infection caused by a virus SARS-CoV-2 and is a topical problem of today. Every day the number of infected and died due to the complications resulted from the menacing disease is proliferating. At the moment, there is no specific therapy against the virus SARS-CoV-2, but various scientific and clinical studies are already underway, although obtaining effective vaccinations may still take many months. What is allicin? Allicin is an organic compound, that is generated from the interaction of alliinase enzyme with amino acid alliin during mechanical destruction of plant cells containing them. It features with a striking toxic effect on bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa, and parasites. Allicin easily passes through cell membranes and interacting with thiol groups in proteins alters cellular metabolism which leads to the death of infected cells. Once in healthy human cells, allicin is neutralized by glutathione tripeptide. The actions of viruses are based on submissively forcing the infected cells to produce their own genetic material and inherent protein. The infected cells become pathogenic and no longer able to produce their own proteins, including glutathione production that ceases. And this is what exactly could be used for the therapy of coronavirus infection. After all, without glutathione, infected cells already become sensitive to the toxic effects of allicin. But not everything is that straightforward. Since allicin is an unstable compound it can decompose quite quickly in the blood. How can we use allicin’s remarkable properties to convey it to the infected cells and destroy them? To solve this problem, I suggest considering the useful experiment led by a recognized specialist in enzymology and protein chemistry, Aaron Rabinkov. He and his colleagues developed a method for the formation of allicin directly on the surface of a cancer cell without the need of transporting it through the destroying bloodstream. They accomplished this by means of a carrier - a monoclonal antibody, that transported alliinase to the surface of cancer cells, and alliin reached them through the blood. This original approach can also be applied to the treatment of coronavirus infection COVID-19. So, here is another proposition of the combat against dangerous coronavirus, and its effectiveness can only be confirmed by clinical studies. Let’s hope that humanity will soon gain its next victory in the long fight against different diseases.