Friday Hope: Cranberry: Inhibiting SARS-CoV-2 Mpro; Reducing D-Dimer and Ferritin Levels
Cranberry is also a potent anti-inflammatory and mitochondrial protector.
Once again, we discover that an abundantly available, completely safe and effective fruit has significant therapeutic properties for treating COVID. Additionally, cranberry is a powerful anti-inflammatory and mitochondrial protector.
Cranberries themselves are very unique plants – and Native Americans knew of their medicinal properties.
The name “cranberry” reportedly derives from the Pilgrim name for the fruit “craneberry,” because the small, pink blossoms that appear in the spring resemble the head and bill of a Sandhill crane. Cranberries are unique among fruits. They can grow and survive only under a special combination of factors. They require acid peat soil, adequate freshwater supply, sand, and a growing season that stretches from April to November and is followed by a period of dormancy in the winter months that provides an extended cold period, necessary for fruiting buds to mature. Contrary to popular belief, cranberries do not grow in water. Instead, they grow on vines in impermeable beds that are layered with sand, peat, gravel, and clay. These beds, commonly known as “bogs,” were originally made by glacial deposits, but now, they can be made by humans.
Cranberries were first used by Native Americans, who discovered the wild berry’s versatility. Native Americans used cranberries in a variety of foods, the most popular being pemmican, a high-protein combination of crushed cranberries, dried deer meat, and melted fat. They also used it as a medicine to treat arrow wounds and as a dye for rugs and blankets.
6.1. CRANBERRY: INTRODUCTION AND TRADITIONAL ORIGINS
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92762/
With the emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, researchers exhaustively combed through as many natural therapeutics as possible to discover which may be useful in combating the novel virus. When attention was paid to the humble cranberry, it was discovered that cranberry phytochemicals possessed the ability to inhibit the Main Protease (Mpro) of the virus.
Cranberry phytochemicals are known to possess antiviral activities. In the current study, we explored the therapeutic potential of cranberry against SARS-CoV-2 by targeting its main protease (Mpro) enzyme. Firstly, phytochemicals of cranberry origin were identified from three independent databases. Subsequently, virtual screening, using molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation approaches, led to the identification of three lead phytochemicals namely, cyanidin 3-O-galactoside, β-carotene and epicatechin. Furthermore, in vitro enzymatic assays revealed that cyanidin 3-O-galactoside had the highest inhibitory potential with IC50 of 9.98 μM compared to the other two phytochemicals. Cyanidin 3-O-galactoside belongs to the class of anthocyanins. Anthocyanins extracted from frozen cranberry also exhibited the highest inhibitory potential with IC50 of 23.58 μg/ml compared to the extracts of carotenoids and flavanols, the class for β-carotene and epicatechin, respectively. Finally, we confirm the presence of the phytochemicals in the cranberry extracts using targeted LC-MS/MS analysis. Our results, therefore, indicate that the identified cranberry-derived bioactive compounds as well as cranberry could be used for therapeutic interventions against SARS-CoV-2.
Identification of antiviral phytochemicals from cranberry as potential inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0141813024004586
In addition to these inhibitory properties, cranberry was found to be a very successful adjunct therapy in treating the acute phase of the disease. Most interesting was the ability of cranberry to significantly reduce D-dimer and Ferritin levels. Patients also experienced a rapid relief of clinical symptoms.
A total of 60 patients with age ≥ 18 years suffering from mild to moderate COVID-19 pneumonia were volunteered to do this study, allocated into two groups. The first group managed standard treatment only according to the Russian Ministry of Health, while the second group managed standard treatment plus cranberry 1000 mg capsule per day for 7 days. Each patient was assessed individually and followed up for 10 days. Cranberry significantly enhanced the effect of standard COVID –19 therapies by rapidly relieving clinical symptoms of COVID –19 infections and significantly lowered the count of WBC, CRP, D-Dimer, and ferritin in comparison with patients who only received STD therapy at P<0.05. In conclusion, Cranberry significantly improved STD therapy by reducing inflammatory response and enhancing lung function via maintaining normal SPO2% level and relieving clinical symptoms of COVID-19 infection.
Effects of Cranberry on Outpatients with Mild to Moderate COVID-19 Infection
https://bijps.uobaghdad.edu.iq/index.php/bijps/article/view/2190/1280
Cranberry is almost certainly beneficial for those who suffer from Long COVID and/or Spike Protein injuries/pathologies. Cranberry is a potent anti-inflammatory and is also a protector of mitochondria. When one looks at Spike Protein-induced inflammation, cranberry readily deals with the usual culprits (i.e. IL-6).
When the effects of the cranberry fractions were investigated on caco-2/15 intestinal cells, Denis et al. (2014) observed that, even under LPS-induced inflammation, cells cultured in the presence of cranberry had a lowered NF-ĸB activation rate and a reduced pro-inflammatory mediator tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6).[Citation58] A lower expression was also noted of cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2), an enzyme responsible for raising the prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) levels, both associated with inflammatory processes. A similar finding was observed in experimental studies performed.[Citation16,Citation46] Male rats supplemented with cranberry extract also produced a decline in the rate of expression of NF-ĸB.[Citation46] Concurrently, other studies have reported that cranberry encouraged a drop in the levels of interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), as well as an increase in the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10).
Particularly useful in dealing with Spike-induced mitochondrial damage, cranberry allowed for six times more production of ATP in the presence of iron/ascorbate.
A few studies are available which have evaluated the cranberry polyphenols in the prevention of mitochondrial damage. Denis et al. (2015) observed that the cells preincubated in neutral medium to which iron/ascorbate (Fe/Asc) was added, produced six times less ATP than those cultured under the same stimulus but with added fractions of cranberry containing 35% flavonols and 65% procyanidins in the culture medium. In this study, the prevention of oxidative stress-induced mitochondrial damage was attributed to the cranberry phytochemicals (Table 1). Another study, evaluating the protective effect of potential antioxidants on acute or chronic carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced mitochondrial damage, found that the most effective antioxidant complex in preventing the damage was the one containing the melatonin, succinate and flavonoids of cranberry at a single dose of 7 mg/kg/day.
Cranberry antioxidant power on oxidative stress, inflammation and mitochondrial damage
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10942912.2017.1409758
Clearly, cranberry is a dear friend to all of us. The Spring evenings call for a board of soft cheeses, like Brie and Camembert. I intend to have mine with this lovely cranberry/date chutney:
Apple Chutney with Dates & Cranberries
https://www.thevegspace.co.uk/recipe-apple-chutney-with-dates-cranberries/
I wish everyone a blessed and hopeful Spring weekend! Thank you, as always, for your readership, dialog and support. I will continue to work for all.
Brilliant work Walter ,thank-you very much.Cranberry is also good for the prevention of bladder infections.
You're the bomb, Walt!! Who can't incorporate cranberry into their diet regularly? I'm thinking of combining a well-sourced cranberry juice with herbal tea this summer! Add some honey! Those little mitochondria will perk right up!