The Implications of Zinc Therapy in Combating the COVID-19 Global Pandemic

Abstract

The global pandemic from COVID-19 infection has generated significant public health concerns, both health-wise and economically. There is no specific pharmacological antiviral therapeutic option to date available for COVID-19 management. Also, there is an urgent need to discover effective medicines, prevention, and control methods because of the harsh death toll from this novel coronavirus infection. Acute respiratory tract infections, significantly lower respiratory tract infections, and pneumonia are the primary cause of millions of deaths worldwide. The role of micronutrients, including trace elements, boosted the human immune system and was well established. Several vitamins such as vitamin A, B6, B12, C, D, E, and folate; microelement including zinc, iron, selenium, magnesium, and copper; omega-3 fatty acids as eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid plays essential physiological roles in promoting the immune system. Furthermore, zinc is an indispensable microelement essential for a thorough enzymatic physiological process. It also helps regulate gene-transcription such as DNA replication, RNA transcription, cell division, and cell activation in the human biological system. Subsequently, zinc, together with natural scavenger cells and neutrophils, are also involved in developing cells responsible for regulating nonspecific immunity. The modern food habit often promotes zinc deficiency; as such, quite a few COVID-19 patients presented to hospitals were frequently diagnosed as zinc deficient. Earlier studies documented that zinc deficiency predisposes patients to a viral infection such as herpes simplex, common cold, hepatitis C, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-1), the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) because of reducing antiviral immunity. This manuscript aimed to discuss the various roles played by zinc in the management of COVID-19 infection.

Keywords: COVID-19; efficacy; immune-boosting; microelement; pandemic; pneumonia; viral infections; zinc therapy.

Figure 1

Cumulative cases and deaths associated with COVID-19 in the year 2020.

Figure 2

Zinc and its plausible effectiveness in COVID-19. Notes: Barrier function, antiviral,,,,,,,, antioxidant, 134 immunomodulatory. Abbreviations: ACE-2, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2; NK cells, natural killer cells; ZO-1, zonula occludens-1.

Figure 3

Facilitatory mechanism of zinc ionophores in entry of zinc into cell.,,

Figure 4

Potential micronutrients effective in COVID-19. Selenium,, copper, iron, misc.,