Interesting… an old-is-new-again COVID-19 prophylactic treatment?

 

SciTechDaily reports:

A pair of over-the-counter compounds has been found in preliminary tests to inhibit the virus that causes COVID-19, University of Florida Health researchers have found.

The combination includes diphenhydramine [a.k.a. Benadryl], an antihistamine used for allergy symptoms. When paired with lactoferrin, a protein found in cow and human milk, the compounds were found to hinder the SARS-CoV-2 virus during tests in monkey cells and human lung cells.

The findings by David A. Ostrov, Ph.D., an immunologist and associate professor in the UF College of Medicine’s department of pathology, immunology and laboratory medicine and his colleagues, are published in the journal Pathogens.

“We found out why certain drugs are active against the virus that causes COVID-19. Then, we found an antiviral combination that can be effective, economical, and has a long history of safety,” Ostrov said.

. . .

Like diphenhydramine, lactoferrin is available without a prescription. Ostrov thought about pairing it with diphenhydramine and ran with the idea. In lab tests on human and monkey cells, the combination was particularly potent: Individually, the two compounds each inhibited SARS-CoV-2 virus replication by about 30%. Together, they reduced virus replication by 99%.

The findings, Ostrov said, are a first step in developing a formulation that could be used to accelerate COVID-19 recovery. It also raises the prospect of further study through an academic-corporate partnership for human clinical trials focused on COVID-19 prevention.

There’s more at the link.

Benadryl and its generic equivalents are, of course, well-known.  I was intrigued to read that lactoferrin (freely available in milk at every supermarket) is also known for its antiviral activity.  If they work together so effectively, then this may be a combination everybody can take for pennies a day to reduce the risk of contracting COVID-19 in the first place. I’d call that a winner!  I hope the research is vigorously pursued, despite the fact that the medical establishment is bound to be opposed to it.  After all, there’s no money to be made out of something so low-cost.

Peter

17 comments

  1. This is great news. It may also explain why I haven't had covid yet: With my allergies, I'm eating 3 benadryl a day… On top of Claritin or Zyrtec. Throw in some milk, and I'm golden!

  2. Well, how about that!

    I take Benadryl (quite often) for my allergies – it doesn't make me sleepy – and I have a bowl of cereal with milk almost every morning. Since I am 82 years old and in a high high risk group living in an over 55 apartment complex AND have never caught any of this crap, maybe the above is why.

  3. Lactoferrin is actually a component found in colostrum which is the first milk a mother produces for her offspring to transfer immunities to a new born. This is true for all mammals including humans.
    Buy a supply now as our betters will be trying to make these items as scarce as ivermectin.

  4. I just received a notification from work that we are going to go back to full masking, regardless of vaccination. The wines from the vaxxed will only dull me need for this madness to stop.

    By all accounts it is just a damn cold at this point.

  5. Let's see…

    At this point, what doesn't stop or kill Der Covid?

    Tobacco use.
    Milk.
    Allergy meds.
    Anti-depressants.
    Alcohol use.
    Vitamin D.

    Seriously. A virus soooooo deadly that drinking milk will stop it?

    Bwhahahahahahahaahahahahahahaha

  6. I shared this after reading your post.

    Carolyn and I take Benadryl almost daily for allergy reasons, and our dairy intake is high as well.

    I think I will be simply adding these to the evening supplement pile. What can it hurt, as we already use consume both?

    Oh….. and no official sign of Covid in either of us yet.

  7. The lactoferrin concentration in the petri dishes was almost certainly much, much larger than can be obtained by oral consumption of a substance which

    1. Is present in milk in such small amounts that, even assuming perfect absorption (which is almost never the case) you'd have to consume about 70 liters of milk/day to get the experimental amount
    2. Your digestion mostly breaks down when you consume it

    There is some lactoferrin in whey protein, but most manufacturers don't test for the lactoferrin content (which is highly variable) so it's not on the labels.

  8. lactoferrin is available as a supplement, and has been used for some time.

    In fact, moments ago I added it to our next Amazon order.

  9. If Benadryl & lactoferrin pans out like ivermectin, they'll have to make the ingredients of the new combo ℞ or else toss aside the "vaccinations", remdesivir and other concoctions. The pLandemic will end and the witches will have to retire.

  10. And in related news, a Finnish pharma company has achieved US patent on a nasal injection COVID prophylaxis/treatment of ivermectin and hydrochloroquine.

    We're winning, and insanity is losing.

    It just isn't dead yet.

  11. I take diphenhydramine as a sleep aid. I also drink lots of water, exercise several days a week and wash my hands frequently. I usually get unused sicktime in my year-end paycheck.

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