Quercetin may reduce the risk of developing the symptoms of COVID-19

Ajami, Marjan; Sotoudeheian, Mohammadjavad; Houshiar-Rad, Anahita; Esmaili, Mina; Naeini, Fatemeh; Mohammadi Nasrabadi, Fatemeh; Doaei, Saied; Milani-Bonab, Ali

doi:10.22038/ajp.2023.22920

Quercetin may reduce the risk of developing the symptoms of COVID-19

Document Type : Review Article

Authors

Marjan Ajami ¹

Mohammadjavad Sotoudeheian ²

Anahita Houshiar-Rad ³

Mina Esmaili ³

Fatemeh Naeini ⁴

Fatemeh Mohammadi Nasrabadi ¹

Saied Doaei ⁵

Ali Milani-Bonab ¹

¹ Department of Food and Nutrition Policy and Planning Research, Faculty of Nutrition Sciences and Food Technology, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

² Physiology Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

³ Department of Nutrition Research, Faculty of Nutrition Sciences and Food Technology, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, ‎Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran‎

⁴ Department of Clinical Nutrition, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Tehran university of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran

⁵ Department of Community Nutrition, Faculty of Nutrition and Food Technology, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

10.22038/ajp.2023.22920

Abstract

Objective: Recent evidence reported that some dietary compounds like quercetin and apigenin as the most well-known flavonoids with anti-inflammatory effects may inhibit SARS-CoV-2 main protease. The hypothesis of the promising effects and possible mechanisms of action of quercetin against COVID-19 were assessed in this article.
Materials and Methods: Related papers on the inhibitory effects of quercetin against COVID-19 were collected using the following search strategy: “corona or coronavirus or COVID or COVID-19 or viral or virus” AND “nutrient or flavonoid or Quercetin”.
Results: The findings indicated that quercetin can be considered an effective agent against COVID-19 because of its SARS-CoV-2 main protease and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase inhibitory effects. In addition, quercetin may attenuate angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE-2) receptors leading to a reduction of SARS-CoV-2 ability to enter host cells. Moreover, the antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory activities of quercetin have been frequently reported.
Conclusion: Quercetin may be an effective agent for managing the complications of COVID-19. Further longitudinal human studies are warranted.

Keywords

COVID-19

SARS-CoV-2 main protease

ACE-2 receptors

RNA-dependent RNA polymerase

Quercetin

Subjects