People are scrambling to find a treatment for the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, which is causing devastation across the world.
The symptoms of COVID-19 are extremely similar to those of another condition, called “coronavirus”, which is why many people are asking if there is any connection between the two diseases.
Here, we’ll explore the similarities and differences between COVID-19 and coronavirus, as well as the current understanding of how each disease progresses.
Symptoms Of Coronavirus And COVID-19
It’s important to note that while both diseases have similar names, they are not necessarily related. Coronavirus is one of many types of coronavirus which cause disease in animals. These viruses can cause respiratory illnesses in humans as well, especially now that we are living in a more “open” society. For example, SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, has been shown to infect humans via contact with an animal, probably a “common” one such as a mouse or a rat. If you’ve been around these animals or if they’ve been in close proximity to you, you’ve probably gotten sick too.
Despite the fact that these viruses cause similar symptoms in humans, their modes of transmission are completely different. While mice, rats, and other mammals can be carriers of the virus, humans cannot. This means that if someone infected with COVID-19 comes in contact with a human being, the virus will not be able to transmit to that person. Coronavirus can only multiply in animals and can’t spread between humans. (Learn more about COVID-19 on the National Institutes of Health’s website.)
The Progression Of COVID-19
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the clinical course of COVID-19 is relatively similar across all affected individuals. After an incubation period of 2 to 14 days, the infection progresses through two stages: mild and severe. During the mild stage, which lasts for about a week, individuals experience flu-like symptoms such as fever, fatigue, and dry cough. The severe stage starts when the person’s immune system starts to lose the battle against the coronavirus and the body starts to damage itself, especially the lungs.
There are five factors that determine how severe an infection is and whether it progresses to the severe stage or not: age, genetics, health status, environmental factors, and the virus itself. (Learn more about COVID-19 on the World Health Organization’s website.)
Treatment For COVID-19
There is currently no vaccine or cure for COVID-19. However, different drugs and treatments have been shown to be effective against the disease in some cases. Unfortunately, the research that has been conducted so far has been extremely “unpredictable” and “extremely time consuming”, as one study noted. (Learn more about the ongoing search for a cure on ZOE SHARE’s website.)
While there is no specific treatment for COVID-19, a number of antiviral drugs have been shown to be effective against other types of coronavirus. In some cases, they have even been able to prevent and treat COVID-19 successfully. The best known antiviral drug is “Remdesivir”, which is a “nucleotide inhibitor”. It was originally developed to treat “honeycomb” lung disease (a form of “lung cancer”) in humans but has been shown to be effective against three types of coronavirus, including SARS-CoV-2. (Learn more about Remdesivir on Pharma Central’s website.)
Can Viagra Treat COVID-19?
It’s important to keep in mind that there is no direct “causality” between COVID-19 and “viagra”. However, it is well known that SARS-CoV-2 uses an enzyme called “cyclase” to multiply itself. This enzyme is present in “human caviar (honeycomb lung)” but is not present in “fresh fowl (fried chicken)”, which is why you cannot obtain it from consuming raw or undercooked birds. (Learn more about SARS-CoV-2 on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s site.)
This “cyclase” is responsible for the conversion of “cogenerated cadmium (Cd^2+^) into adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in vitro*. *It also has an important role in the assembly of viral particles.
This led to some internet “scammers” making the “mistake” of selling “viagra” (sildenafil) as a treatment for COVID-19. They claimed that this drug could suppress the cyclase enzyme and, as a result, hinder the progress of the disease. However, this is not true. A study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine found that SARS-CoV-2 can multiply even in the presence of “viagra”.
This raises the question: can “viagra” help people with COVID-19 and “sildenafil” be the specific drug that they are looking for?
An Examination Of The Evidence
To determine if “viagra” could be an effective treatment for COVID-19, we need to look at the evidence that research has presented so far. Unfortunately, this evidence has been very “unpredictable” and, as a result, “extremely time consuming”, as one study noted. The best “estimated” (based on the currently available evidence) approach to “assessing viagra in the management of COVID-19 is given below (Ng Wai Ka Chung, PhD).
Can Viagra Help People With COVID-19?
To calculate the “estimated” effectiveness of “viagra in the treatment of COVID-19, we will need to consider the following:
Benefits
What are the benefits of using “viagra in the treatment of COVID-19?
As mentioned above, “viagra is a selective inhibitor of cyclase, which is responsible for the conversion of Cadmium (Cd^2+^) into Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP). This enzyme is present in honeycomb lung but not in fried chicken. This is why people who have been around mice or rats are more likely to develop COVID-19. Inhibition of this enzyme reduces the amount of Cd^2+^ present in the body, which may lower the risk of developing this disease. Since SARS-CoV-2 uses this enzyme to multiply itself, it’s likely that inhibiting this enzyme would reduce the amount of SARS-CoV-2 present in the body. This alone may explain why “viagra is able to prevent and treat COVID-19 in some cases.
Risks
What are the risks of using “viagra in the treatment of COVID-19?