Friday Hope: Wheatgrass: A Superfood with Prophylactic Potential Against SARS-CoV-2
This Superfood is also a cornucopia of many proven nutraceuticals therapeutic in treating COVID/Long COVID/Spike Injury including Quercetin, Rutin and Vitamin C.
In addition to compounds which can treat Acute COVID, Long COVID and Spike Protein Injury, it is also beneficial to seek out therapeutics which have the ability to act as a prophylactic. In some instances, we can find therapeutics that can perform both functions. One such candidate is Wheatgrass.
First, let’s discuss what Wheatgrass is before reviewing a very curious paper and discussing its active constituents.
Wheatgrass is the green leaves of a young wheat plant. While there are many wheat species, the most common is known as Triticum aestivum.
In the first few weeks of growth, these leaves look like the grass in your yard. The wheatgrass is cut and then turned into a juice or dried and made into a powdered form. When consumed, it has an earthy taste.
The vibrant green color of wheatgrass comes from chlorophyll. Chlorophyll can increase oxygen levels in your body. The natural compound can also be found in other foods like spinach and arugula.
Wheatgrass also includes enzymes, amino acids, vitamins and minerals, as well as flavonoids, alkaloids and tannins.
Is Wheatgrass Worth the Hype? 7 Benefits
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/is-wheatgrass-good-for-you
Now, before we discuss wheatgrass’ COVID/Spike fighting constituents, let’s take a look at that curious paper.
In December of 2021, a researcher from the Navsahyadri Institute of Pharmacy in India and his associates made a fascinating discovery about wheatgrass and SARS-CoV-2 proteins. They found that Rutin, a constituent of wheatgrass, bound itself to the main protease of SARS-CoV-2 (and other proteins) and would therefore prove protective as it hinders replication.
The molecular docking analyses helped to evaluate the binding of some chemical constituents present in Wheatgrass. Among the tested compounds SWA00B (rutin) found to be potential constituent of Wheatgrass which Posses highest binding affinity to 6lu7-COVID-19 main protease, 6zsl-SARS-CoV-2 helicase, 6w9c-papain like protease of SARS CoV-2, 6m71-RNA-dependent RNA polymerase of SARS-COVID than all other ligands. Therefore, SWA00B rich fraction of Wheatgrass will help the people to protect against SARS-COVID. Moreover, in vivo studies of rutin should be carried out to validate the results and for developing more potent drugs for control of SARS-COVID.
In Silico study of Wheatgrass constituents against Coronavirus COVID-19 Proteins
https://europepmc.org/article/ppr/ppr432101
Why I find this curious is that there was no follow up and the paper was left as a preprint. I invite all to read the paper. The science is sound, and it is unfortunate that it was not pursued further. However, the reason may be that others also found that Rutin inhibits the main protease of SARS-CoV-2.
The pandemic, due to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has stimulated the search for antivirals to tackle COVID-19 infection. Molecules with known pharmacokinetics and already approved for human use have been demonstrated or predicted to be suitable to be used either directly or as a base for a scaffold-based drug design. Among these substances, quercetin is known to be a potent in vitro inhibitor of 3CLpro, the SARS-CoV-2 main protease. However, its low in vivo bioavailability calls for modifications to its molecular structure. In this work, this issue is addressed by using rutin, a natural flavonoid that is the most common glycosylated conjugate of quercetin, as a model. Combining experimental (spectroscopy and calorimetry) and simulation techniques (docking and molecular dynamics simulations), we demonstrate that the sugar adduct does not hamper rutin binding to 3CLpro, and the conjugated compound preserves a high potency (inhibition constant in the low micromolar range, Ki = 11 μM). Although showing a disruption of the pseudo-symmetry in the chemical structure, a larger steric volume and molecular weight, and a higher solubility compared to quercetin, rutin is able to associate in the active site of 3CLpro, interacting with the catalytic dyad (His41/Cys145). The overall results have implications in the drug-design of quercetin analogs, and possibly other antivirals, to target the catalytic site of the SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro.
Rutin Is a Low Micromolar Inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease 3CLpro: Implications for Drug Design of Quercetin Analogs
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8066963/
The above being stated, I hope more come to appreciate its presence in wheatgrass.
In addition to the SARS-CoV-2 prophylactic properties of wheatgrass, it is rich in compounds which are therapeutic for Acute COVID/Long COVID and Spike Protein Injury.
Several studies have identified the specific phenolics present in wheatgrass juice. Phenolic compounds found are classified as flavonoids and phenolic acids, with the latter class represented by hydroxybenzoic acids and hydroxycinnamic acids. Identified flavonoids in wheatgrass juice include: catechin, epicatechin, rutin, quercetin, isoquercetin, apigenin-7-glucoside, apigenin, vitexin, isovitexin, kaempferol, luteolin, pyrogallol and chrysin. Hydroxybenzoic acids, namely vanillic acid, ellagic acid, gallic acid, protocatechuic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic, gentisic acid and syringic acid; and hydroxycinnamic acids, namely ferulic acid, chlorogenic acid, p-coumaric acid, caffeic acid, scopoletin, sinapic acid and rosmarinic acid have been identified in wheatgrass juice. Cinnamic acid, a polyphenolic precursor compound, and resveratol has also been found (Choi et al., 2021; de la Rosa et al., 2019; Eissa et al., 2020; Hebbani et al., 2020; Kaur et al., 2021; Skoczylas et al., 2018; Thakur et al., 2020). In a study by Eissa et al. (2020), the phenolic compounds were analysed from fresh wheatgrass juice, where sinapic (27.98 µg/ml), protocatechuic (22.34 µg/ml), caffeic (12.04 µg/ml) and rosmarinic (11.32 µg/ml) acids were present in the highest concentrations.
Nutritional and physiochemical properties of wheatgrass juice and preservation strategies
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772753X22001241
As you may note, a treasure trove of natural therapeutics. I am certainly reviving my college days habit of going to the health food market and ordering a shot or two of wheatgrass. After all, it was in 1985 that The Wheatgrass Book was published. As always, this post is not medical advice, it is presenting medical research. Please discuss any medications or supplements with your Primary Care Provider.
The Wheatgrass Book
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/349837/the-wheatgrass-book-by-ann-wigmore/
We have had a glorious run this week of perfect late summer Vermont weather. The trees here have not yet turned. There perhaps is nothing more satisfying this time of year than seeing the still green leaves of a tree against the backdrop of a crystal clear, star-filled night sky.
I would like to give an immense and profoundly appreciative Thank You to a philanthropic organization which made a significant contribution towards my research. It helps to ease the very real pain of our ever-increasing inflation and provide financial stability.
Also, Thank You to all. Thank You for your support, readership and dialogue. Please have a beautiful, blessed and flavonoid-rich weekend!
What is the effect of imbibing wheatgrass, for gluten-intolerants/celiacs?
Wheatgrass seems so beneficial, I want to start taking it again. However, lately I have been raising awareness regarding my intake of linoleic acid/omega 6 in foods. If you’re not aware, we only need a little bit of it and too much is very toxic to mitochondria, etc., even instigating metabolic syndrome. LA is most prevalent in seeds, nuts, grains, and oils that are made from such ingredients. I wonder what the linoleic acid content is for wheatgrass?
Thanks for this great research, Walter. I am enjoying late summer weather in Vermont, too.