Speaking on the idea behind conducting trials with this novel treatment, Bipin Nair, Dean, Life Sciences at Amrita School of Biotechnology, said their interest in looking at Nitric Oxide as a treatment option for COVID-19 stemmed from an early study conducted by a Swedish group.
In COVID-19 infection, protein is the main culprit in interacting with our body’s receptors and immune system and creating havoc.
The team of experts at Amrita Hospital decided to conduct this trial on a small group of COVID patients admitted at Amrita Hospital.
Out of the 25 patients selected for the study, 14 were given inhaled NO along with standard treatment for COVID-19, while 11 patients were in the control standard treatment group. The patients treated with inhaled NO showed a significant drop in their viral load.
This approach to repurposing nitric oxide has the potential to be an effective preventative, especially in light of the highly infectious nature of the Omicron variant prevalent today.
As the global search for an effective remedy against COVID continues, this strategy to use Nitric Oxide as a therapeutic measure has the scope to be a successful, rapid and affordable game-changer in the fight against the pandemic.
It is also conceivable that healthcare workers, who are constantly exposed to the coronavirus, could also use this as a prophylactic while treating infected patients.
The expert panel associated with the study now calls for an extended validation to take this treatment process to the next level.
Source: Medindia
