Potential Clinical Benefits of Quercetin in the Early Stage of COVID-19: Results of a Second, Pilot, Randomized, Controlled and Open-Label Clinical Trial
Francesco Di Pierro, Somia Iqtadar, Amjad Khan, Sami Ullah Mumtaz, Mohsin Masud Chaudhry, Alexander Bertuccioli, Giuseppe Derosa, Pamela Maffioli, Stefano Togni, Antonella Riva, Pietro Allegrini, Saeed Khan
International Journal of General Medicine, doi:10.2147/ijgm.s318949
Background: The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the cause of the ongoing global pandemic known as COVID-19. Based on the potential antiviral role of quercetin, and on its described anti-blood clotting, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, we hypothesize that subjects with mild COVID-19 treated with Quercetin Phytosome ® (QP), a novel bioavailable form of quercetin, may have a shorter time to virus clearance, a milder symptomatology, and higher probabilities of a benign earlier resolution of the disease. Methods: In our 2-week, randomized, open-label, and controlled clinical study, we have enrolled 42 COVID-19 outpatients. Twenty-one have been treated with the standard of care (SC), and 21 with QP as add-on supplementation to the SC. Our main aims were to check virus clearance and symptoms.
Results: The interim results reveal that after 1 week of treatment, 16 patients of the QP group were tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 and 12 patients had all their symptoms diminished; in the SC group, 2 patients were tested SARS-CoV-2 negative and 4 patients had their symptoms partially improved. By 2 weeks, the remaining 5 patients of the QP group tested negative for SARS-CoV-2, whereas in the SC group out of 19 remaining patients, 17 tested negatives by week 2, one tested negative by week 3 and one patient, still positive, expired by day 20. Concerning blood parameters, the add on therapy with QP, reduced LDH (−35.5%), Ferritin (−40%), CRP (−54.8%) and D-dimer (−11.9%). Conclusion: QP statistically shortens the timing of molecular test conversion from positive to negative, reducing at the same time symptoms severity and negative predictors of COVID-19.
Disclosure FDP belongs to the Scientific Board of Pharmextracta. AB is a Pharmextracta consultant. PA, ST and AR belong to the Scientific Board of Indena. ST & PA are employees of Indena SpA, producer of Quercetin Phytosome (ingredient used in the trial). AR reports a patent WO2019016146A1 pending. The other authors do not claim possible conflicts of interest.
International Journal of General Medicine
Dovepress
DovePress International Journal of General Medicine 2021:14
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