New research suggests a Over-the-counter nasal spray is effective to significantly reduce and almost eliminate SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 after a single dose.
An in vitro study conducted by scientists at Northwestern University and Utah State University concluded that the components found in Xlear nasal spray, particularly grapefruit seed extract and xylitol, have succeeded in statistically reducing the amount of SARS-CoV-2.
After a single explosion, the researchers saw the nasal spray reduce the virus from 4.2 to 1.7 log10 CCID50 by 0.1 mL, a statistically significant reduction of 2.5 log10 CCID50. The news of the study was announced by Xlear and the company said that this is just the latest research that comes to the conclusion that over-the-counter spray is effective against the virus that causes COVID-19.
Xlear is currently sold as a nasal irrigator to clean and hydrate the nasal cavities.
Professor Mark Cannon, of Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, said the study is innovative in two areas. Cannon said that using electron microscopy, the researchers saw visual evidence showing that the combination of xylitol and grape seed extract neutralizes the virus. Grape seed extract kills the virus, while xylitol prevents the virus from attaching to cell walls, Cannon said in the ad. The study postulates that xylitol acts as a decoy target for SARS-CoV-2, preventing the virus from binding to the central protein in the cell wall, he said.
“In addition to fighting SARS-CoV-2, Xlear is likely to be effective in preventing the spread of future H1N1 viruses, including emerging variants of SARS-CoV-2, along with other viral epidemics. Given the most communicable variants we face now, this is critical now, ”said Cannon in a statement.
This in vitro evidence will undoubtedly be used to support a new petition before the World Health Organization. This week, a coalition of health professionals asked the World Health Organization to issue Guidelines calling: “everyone should use nasal sprays to fight the COVID-19 pandemic”. The petition, which is supported by Xlear, is releasing data showing that these nasal sprays are able to block viral adhesion and even kill or disable the virus in the nasal passages. The petition specifically asks the WHO Guidance to focus on the use of nasal sprays that contain xylitol and grapefruit seed extract, which is found in Xlear.
“Nasal sprays are proven to be safe, inexpensive, non-invasive, easy to use and you can get them off the shelf at your local store worldwide. There is a growing body of data that sprays, in particular Xlear, can help combat the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s pure common sense, ”said Nathan Jones, Xlear’s CEO, in a statement.
In December, Xlear filed for Pre-Emergency Use Authorization with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in hopes of obtaining authorization for the spray as a new hygiene tool to help fight the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Xlear is not the only promising nasal spray to provide another level of protection against COVID-19, which has infected almost 100 million people worldwide and caused the death of more than 2 million people. Researchers at the University of Birmingham, UK, have developed a nasal spray that can potentially provide protection against COVID-19. The spray uses compounds that are already approved by regulatory authorities in the UK, Europe and the USA, including carrageenan, along with a polysaccharide gelane.
Another nasal spray that uses a lipopeptide, a cholesterol particle attached to a chain of amino acids, has also shown promise in preclinical tests. Like Previously reported BioSpace, the lipopeptide exactly matches the amino acid stretch in the SARS-CoV-2 peak protein. The lipopeptide binds to one of the peak amino acid chains and prevents viral binding.
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