A compound found in rosemary herb could be a weapon in the fight against the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19, US scientists have been quoted as saying by the online publication Juricalert.
Experts from the Scripps Research Center have found that carnosic acid is able to block the interaction between the virus’s outer thorn protein and the ACE2 receptor, through which the infection enters cells.
The research team presented evidence and studied data from previous studies that this compound in rosemary also has a positive effect in severe inflammatory processes – both in severe COVID-19 and in other diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease.
“We believe that carnosic acid or its improved derivative should be studied as a potentially cheap, safe and effective treatment for COVID-19 and some other inflammatory processes,” said Professor Stuart Lipton, who co-authored the study.
Studies have analyzed the anti-inflammatory effect of carnosic acid on immune cells that trigger inflammation in new coronavirus and Alzheimer’s disease. U.S. experts suggest that the compound in rosemary may be useful not only in the new coronavirus, but also in cases of postcoronary syndrome associated with cognitive impairment.
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The experiment also showed that carnosic acid directly blocks the ability of SARS-CoV-2 to infect cells, and at higher concentrations there was even an increase in its ability to stop infection.
Scientists at the Scripps Research Institute are actively working on the synthesis and testing of more powerful carnosic acid derivatives with improved medicinal properties for potential use in inflammatory diseases.
The results of the study were published in the journal Antioxidants.
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