Available and affordable complementary treatments for COVID-19: From hypothesis to pilot studies and the need for implementation

Jean Bousquet^{1

2

3}, Tari Haahtela⁴, Hubert Blain⁵, Wienczyslawa Czarlewski⁶, Torsten Zuberbier^{1

3}, Anna Bedbrook⁶, Alvaro A Cruz⁷, Joao A Fonseca^{8

9

10

11}, Ludger Klimek^{12

13}, Piotr Kuna¹⁴, Boleslaw Samolinski¹⁵, Arunas Valiulis¹⁶, Antoine Lemaire¹⁷, Josep M Anto^{18

19

20

21}

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Allergology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
² University Hospital Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
³ Allergology and Immunology, Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology (ITMP), Berlin, Germany.
⁴ Skin and Allergy Hospital, Helsinki University Hospital, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
⁵ Department of Geriatrics, Montpellier University Hospital, MUSE, Montpellier, France.
⁶ MASK-air, Montpellier, France.
⁷ Fundaçao ProAR, Federal University of Bahia and GARD/WHO Planning Group, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.
⁸ Department of Community Medicine, Information and Health Decision Sciences (MEDCIDS), Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
⁹ Patient-Centred Innovation and Technologies Group (PaCeIT), Center for Health Technology and Services Research (CINTESIS), University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
¹⁰ Medicina, EDucaçao, I&D e Avaliaçao, Lda (MEDIDA), Porto, Portugal.
¹¹ Imunoalergologia, CUF, Porto, Portugal.
¹² Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Wiesbaden, Germany.
¹³ Center for Rhinology and Allergology, Wiesbaden, Germany.
¹⁴ Division of Internal Medicine, Asthma and Allergy, Barlicki University Hospital, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland.
¹⁵ Department of Prevention of Environmental Hazards, Allergology and Immunology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
¹⁶ Institute of Clinical Medicine and Institute of Health Sciences, Medical Faculty of Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania.
¹⁷ Centre Hospitalier, Valenciennes, France.
¹⁸ IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute), Barcelona, Spain.
¹⁹ Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain.
²⁰ CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain.
²¹ ISGlobal, Barcelona Institute for Global Health, Barcelona, Spain.

PMID: 35344297
PMCID: PMC8967265
DOI: 10.1002/clt2.12127

Available and affordable complementary treatments for COVID-19: From hypothesis to pilot studies and the need for implementation

Jean Bousquet et al. Clin Transl Allergy. 2022 Mar.

. 2022 Mar;12(3):e12127.

doi: 10.1002/clt2.12127.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Allergology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
² University Hospital Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
³ Allergology and Immunology, Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology (ITMP), Berlin, Germany.
⁴ Skin and Allergy Hospital, Helsinki University Hospital, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
⁵ Department of Geriatrics, Montpellier University Hospital, MUSE, Montpellier, France.
⁶ MASK-air, Montpellier, France.
⁷ Fundaçao ProAR, Federal University of Bahia and GARD/WHO Planning Group, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.
⁸ Department of Community Medicine, Information and Health Decision Sciences (MEDCIDS), Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
⁹ Patient-Centred Innovation and Technologies Group (PaCeIT), Center for Health Technology and Services Research (CINTESIS), University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
¹⁰ Medicina, EDucaçao, I&D e Avaliaçao, Lda (MEDIDA), Porto, Portugal.
¹¹ Imunoalergologia, CUF, Porto, Portugal.
¹² Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Wiesbaden, Germany.
¹³ Center for Rhinology and Allergology, Wiesbaden, Germany.
¹⁴ Division of Internal Medicine, Asthma and Allergy, Barlicki University Hospital, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland.
¹⁵ Department of Prevention of Environmental Hazards, Allergology and Immunology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
¹⁶ Institute of Clinical Medicine and Institute of Health Sciences, Medical Faculty of Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania.
¹⁷ Centre Hospitalier, Valenciennes, France.
¹⁸ IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute), Barcelona, Spain.
¹⁹ Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain.
²⁰ CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain.
²¹ ISGlobal, Barcelona Institute for Global Health, Barcelona, Spain.

PMID: 35344297
PMCID: PMC8967265
DOI: 10.1002/clt2.12127

Abstract

Vaccination is a highly effective preventive measure against COVID-19. However, complementary treatments are needed to better control the disease. Fermented vegetables and spices, agonists of the antioxidant transcription factor nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2) and TRPA1/V1 channels (Transient Receptor Potential Ankyrin 1 and Vanillin 1), may help in the control of COVID-19. Some preliminary clinical trials suggest that curcumin (spice) can prevent some of the COVID-19 symptoms. Before any conclusion can be drawn and these treatments recommended for COVID-19, the data warrant confirmation. In particular, the benefits of the foods need to be assessed in more patients, through research studies and large trials employing a double-blind, placebo-controlled design.

Keywords: COVID-19; Nrf2; TRP channel; broccoli; curcumin.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

**FIGURE 1**
Putative mechanisms of Nrf2‐TRP agonists in the management of COVID‐19

See this image and copyright information in PMC

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Available and affordable complementary treatments for COVID-19: From hypothesis to pilot studies and the need for implementation

Affiliations

Available and affordable complementary treatments for COVID-19: From hypothesis to pilot studies and the need for implementation

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Conflict of interest statement

Figures

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