COVID-19 pandemic: Can zinc supplementation provide an additional shield against the infection?

Abstract

Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19)-induced severe acute respiratory syndrome is a global pandemic. As a preventive measure, human movement is restricted in most of the world. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), along with the World Health Organization (WHO) have laid out some therapeutic guidelines for the infected patients. However, other than handwashing and vigilance surrounding commonly encountered oronasal symptoms and fever, no universally available prophylactic measure has yet been established. In a pandemic, the accessibility of a prophylactic biologically active substance is crucial. Ideally, it would be something readily available at a low price to a larger percentage of the population with minimal risk. Studies have demonstrated that zinc may reduce viral replication and increase immune responses. While consuming zinc (within the recommended upper safety limits), as a prophylactic might provide an additional shield against the initiation and progression of COVID-19 would need clinical studies, the potential clearly exists. Even after vaccination, low zinc status may affect the vaccination responses.

Keywords: Antiviral; COVID-19; Host resistance; Pandemic; Zinc.

Fig. 1

a. Subcellular localization and transport of zinc b. Inhibition of viral replication by zinc 1. Free virus inactivation 2. Viral uncoating inhibition 3. Inhibition of viral genome transcription 4. Inhibition of viral protein translation and polyprotein processing Abbreviations: CV, coronavirus; DdDp, DNA-dependent DNA polymerase; EMCV, encephalomyocarditis virus; FMDV, foot and mouth disease virus; HCV, hepatitis C virus; HIV, human immunodeficiency virus; HPV, human papilloma virus; HRV, human rhinovirus; HSV, herpes simplex virus; PV, polio virus; RdRp, RNA-dependent RNA polymerase; RT, reverse transcriptase; SARS, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus; SFV, Semliki Forest virus; SV, sindbis virus; VZV, varicella-zoster virus .

Fig. 2

a. Zinc in a selected signal transduction pathway (IGF, insulin-like growth factor; IGFR, IGF receptors; EGFR, epidermis growth factor-receptor; MAPK, mitogen-activated protein kinase; PKC, protein kinase C; P70S6K, P70S6 kinase). b. Activation of the transcription factor MTF-1 by zinc and induction of MT , .