Micronutrients and Bioactive Substances: Their Potential Roles in Combating COVID-19

Highlights

• •

  COVID-19 pandemic has been overwhelmingly affecting public health and setting huge economic crises across the world.

• •

  Despite the absence of specific drugs, there is a need for alternative nutritional approaches

• •

  Micronutrients and bioactive substances can be considered in alternative nutritional approaches as they:

  • ○

    have great potentials to interfere with spike glycoproteins, angiotensin converting enzyme 2 receptors and transmembrane protease serine 2 at the entry site of SARS-CoV-2;

  • ○

    inhibit proteases such as Papain-Like protease, 3 Chymotrypsin-Like protease and RNA dependent RNA polymerase;

  • ○

    have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antiviral properties;

  • ○

    can bolster immune system and help to mitigate clinical features

Abstract

Objective

COVID-19 pandemic has been seriously threatening public health and setting huge economic crises across the world. In absence of specific drugs to COVID-19, there is an urgent need to look for alternative approaches. Therefore, the aim of this paper was to review the roles of micronutrients and bioactive substances as potential alternative approaches in combating COVID-19.

Methods

This review was based on literature identified using electronic searches in different databases.

Results

Vitamins (A, B, C, D and E), minerals (selenium and zinc) and bioactive substances from curcumin, echinacea, propolis, garlic, soybean, green tea, and other polyphenols were identified for having potential roles in interfering with spike glycoproteins, angiotensin converting enzyme 2 and transmembrane protease serine 2 (TMPRSS2) at the entry site; and inhibiting activities of Papain-Like protease (PLpro), 3 Chymotrypsin-Like protease (3CLpro) and RNA dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) in the replication cycle of SARS-CoV-2. Having immunomodulating, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antiviral properties, such micronutrients and bioactive substances are consequently the promising alterative nutritional approaches to combat COVID-19.

Conclusion

To put in nutshell, the roles of micronutrients and bioactive substances in COVID-19 are exciting research areas and thus, this review may guide researchers to undertake further studies.