The Combination of Bromelain and Acetylcysteine (BromAc) Synergistically Inactivates SARS-CoV-2
Akhter et al.,
The Combination of Bromelain and Acetylcysteine (BromAc) Synergistically Inactivates SARS-CoV-2,
Viruses, doi:10.3390/v13030425 (In Vitro)
In Vitro study showing dose dependent inactivation of SARS-CoV-2 with the combination of bromelain and acetylcysteine.
3
In Vitro studies support the efficacy of N-acetylcysteine
[Akhter, Goc, La Maestra].
Akhter et al., 6 Mar 2021, USA, peer-reviewed, 9 authors.
Contact:
david.morris@unsw.edu.au (corresponding author), javed.akhter@health.nsw.gov.au, vahan.kepenekian@chu-lyon.fr, samina.badar@unsw.edu.au, z3170073@ad.unsw.edu.au, sarah.valle@mucpharm.com, panthera6444@yahoo.com.au, gregory.queromes@univ-lyon1.fr, emilie.frobert@chu-lyon.fr.
In Vitro studies are an important part of preclinical research, however results may be very different in vivo.
Abstract: viruses
Article
The Combination of Bromelain and Acetylcysteine (BromAc)
Synergistically Inactivates SARS-CoV-2
Javed Akhter 1,2,† , Grégory Quéromès 3,† , Krishna Pillai 2,† , Vahan Kepenekian 1,4,† , Samina Badar 1,5 ,
Ahmed H. Mekkawy 1,2,5 , Emilie Frobert 3,6,‡ , Sarah J. Valle 1,2,5,‡ and David L. Morris 1,2,5, *,‡
1
2
3
4
5
6
*
†
‡
Department of Surgery, St. George Hospital, Sydney, NSW 2217, Australia;
Javed.Akhter@health.nsw.gov.au (J.A.); vahan.kepenekian@chu-lyon.fr (V.K.);
samina.badar@unsw.edu.au (S.B.); z3170073@ad.unsw.edu.au (A.H.M.); sarah.valle@mucpharm.com (S.J.V.)
Mucpharm Pty Ltd., Sydney, NSW 2217, Australia; panthera6444@yahoo.com.au
CIRI, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, Team VirPatH, Univ Lyon, Inserm, U1111,
Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5308, ENS de Lyon, F-69007 Lyon, France;
gregory.queromes@univ-lyon1.fr (G.Q.); emilie.frobert@chu-lyon.fr (E.F.)
Hospices Civils de Lyon, EMR 3738 (CICLY), Lyon 1 Université, F-69921 Lyon, France
St. George & Sutherland Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2217, Australia
Laboratoire de Virologie, Institut des Agents Infectieux (IAI), Hospices Civils de Lyon,
Groupement Hospitalier Nord, F-69004 Lyon, France
Correspondence: david.morris@unsw.edu.au; Tel.: +61-(02)-91132590
These authors contributed equally to this work.
These authors contributed equally to this work.
A. Aljabali
Abstract: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) infection is the cause of
a worldwide pandemic, currently with limited therapeutic options. The spike glycoprotein and
envelope protein of SARS-CoV-2, containing disulfide bridges for stabilization, represent an attractive
target as they are essential for binding to the ACE2 receptor in host cells present in the nasal mucosa.
Bromelain and Acetylcysteine (BromAc) has synergistic action against glycoproteins by breakage of
glycosidic linkages and disulfide bonds. We sought to determine the effect of BromAc on the spike
and envelope proteins and its potential to reduce infectivity in host cells. Recombinant spike and
envelope SARS-CoV-2 proteins were disrupted by BromAc. Spike and envelope protein disulfide
bonds were reduced by Acetylcysteine. In in vitro whole virus culture of both wild-type and spike
mutants, SARS-CoV-2 demonstrated a concentration-dependent inactivation from BromAc treatment
but not from single agents. Clinical testing through nasal administration in patients with early
SARS-CoV-2 infection is imminent.
Received: 31 January 2021
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2; Bromelain; Acetylcysteine; BromAc; drug repurposing
Citation: Akhter, J.; Quéromès, G.;
Pillai, K.; Kepenekian, V.; Badar, S.;
Mekkawy, A.H.; Frobert, E.; Valle, S.J.;
Morris, D.L. The Combination of
Bromelain and Acetylcysteine
(BromAc) Synergistically Inactivates
SARS-CoV-2. Viruses 2021, 13, 425.
https://doi.org/10.3390/v13030425
Academic Editors:
Kenneth Lundstrom and Alaa A.
Accepted: 1 March 2021
Published: 6 March 2021
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