Inositol and pulmonary function. Could myo-inositol treatment downregulate inflammation and cytokine release syndrome in SARS-CoV-2?

M. Bizzarri, A.S. Laganà, D. Aragona, V. Unfer

Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy. mariano.bizzarri@uniroma1.it

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• Infectious Diseases

The outbreak of Sars-CoV-2 (COVID-19) poses serious challenges to people’s health worldwide. The management of the disease is mostly supportive, and respiratory failure from acute respiratory distress syndrome is the leading cause of death in a significant proportion of affected patients. Preliminary data point out that dramatic increase in IL-6 and subsequent cytokine release syndrome may account for the development of fatal interstitial pneumonia. Inhibition of IL-6 by blocking its specific receptor with monoclonal antibodies has been advocated as a promising attempt. Here we assess the potential utility of myo-Inositol, a polyol already in use for treating the newborn Respiratory Distress Syndrome, in downregulating the inflammatory response upon Sars-CoV-2 infection. Myo-Inositol proved to reduce IL-6 levels in a number of conditions and to mitigate the inflammatory cascade, while being devoid of any significant side effects. It is tempting to speculate that inositol could be beneficial in managing the most dreadful effects of Sars-CoV-2 infection.

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