Amazing discoveries by researchers claim that COVID-19 can be fought off by incorporating these food items into our daily eating habits.
We have been courageously fighting an invisible enemy in the form of COVID-19 for almost a year now. However, with the long-awaited vaccine still not in sight, science experts resorted to finding alternatives to deal with our current health crisis.
We are constantly reminded to keep our immune systems healthy, wear protective gear, and keep our distance from each other. Aside from that, a recent study revealed that there are food items we can include in our diet that can weaken the virus.
According to Eat This, Professor De-Yu Xie of the Plant and Microbial Biology Department of North Carolina State University and her student found chemical compounds in certain foods and beverages that may prevent replication in certain coronavirus enzymes.
According to the NC State News, the said chemical compounds discovered are present in dark chocolate, green tea, and muscadine grapes. These chemical compounds can bind and block the function of a specific enzyme or protease in the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Xie stated that proteases are essential to the overall health and viability of cells and viruses. Once they are inhibited, cells cannot perform many vital functions like replication.
The professor added that they are mainly looking for nutraceuticals in food or medicinal plants that can inhibit how a virus attaches to human cells. Similarly, they are also looking at how these can prevent a virus's propagation in human cells.
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Studying the Main Protease (Mpro)
The study focused on observing how the main protease (Mpro) behaves and how it reacts to the chemical compounds found in dark chocolate, green tea, and muscadine grapes.
The researchers ran simulations of the main protease (Mpro) and monitored its response when confronted with different plant chemical compounds known for their potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
The professor stated that the main protease (Mpro) in SARS-CoV-2 plays a significant role in the cell virus to replicate and assemble itself. If the cell virus is inhibited and the main protease (Mpro) is deactivated, the cell virus will not replicate and eventually die.
Based on the computer simulations, chemical compounds from cacao powder and dark chocolate could bind themselves to different portions of the main protease (Mpro). The same was observed with the chemical compounds from two varieties of muscadine grapes and green tea.
Xie cited a portion in the main protease (Mpro) that looks like a pocket. It can be filled by the plant chemical compounds for the main protease (Mopar) to lose its vital function.
Another duplicate experiment was run and completed by Professor Xie's student, Dr. Yue Zhu. That also showed the same results as the experiment done in Xie's lab. The chemical compounds from green tea and muscadine grapes successfully inhibited the main protease (Mpro) function.
Meanwhile, the chemical compounds from cacao powder and dark chocolate reduced main protease (Mpro) cell activity by 50 percent.
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