Probiotics in Prevention and Treatment of COVID-19: Current Perspective and Future Prospects

Shilia Jacob Kurian; Mazhuvancherry Kesavan Unnikrishnan; Sonal Sekhar Miraj; Debasis Bagchi; Mithu Banerjee; B Shrikar Reddy; Gabriel Sunil Rodrigues; Mohan K Manu; Kavitha Saravu; Chiranjay Mukhopadhyay; Mahadev Rao

doi:10.1016/j.arcmed.2021.03.002

Probiotics in Prevention and Treatment of COVID-19: Current Perspective and Future Prospects

Arch Med Res. 2021 Aug;52(6):582-594. doi: 10.1016/j.arcmed.2021.03.002. Epub 2021 Mar 19.

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pharmacy Practice, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India; Manipal Center for Infectious Diseases, Prasanna School of Public Health, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India.
² National College of Pharmacy, Mukkam, Kozhikode, Kerala, India.
³ Department of Pharmacy Practice, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India; Manipal Center for Infectious Diseases, Prasanna School of Public Health, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India. Electronic address: sonal.sekhar@manipal.edu.
⁴ College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Texas Southern University, Houston, USA.
⁵ Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences,Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India.
⁶ Department of Pharmacy Practice, Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India.
⁷ Department of Surgery, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India.
⁸ Manipal Center for Infectious Diseases, Prasanna School of Public Health, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India; Department of Respiratory Medicine, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India.
⁹ Manipal Center for Infectious Diseases, Prasanna School of Public Health, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India; Department of Infectious Diseases, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India.
¹⁰ Department of Microbiology and Center for Emerging and Tropical Diseases, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India.

Abstract

Saving lives and flattening the curve are the foremost priorities during the ongoing pandemic spread of SARS-CoV-2. Developing cutting-edge technology and collating available evidence would support frontline health teams. Nutritional adequacy improves general health and immunity to prevent and assuage infections. This review aims to outline the potential role of probiotics in fighting the COVID-19 by covering recent evidence on the association between microbiota, probiotics, and COVID-19, the role of probiotics as an immune-modulator and antiviral agent. The high basic reproduction number (R0) of SARS-CoV-2, absence of conclusive remedies, and the pleiotropic effect of probiotics in fighting influenza and other coronaviruses together favour probiotics supplements. However, further support from preclinical and clinical studies and reviews outlining the role of probiotics in COVID-19 are critical. Results are awaited from many ongoing clinical trials investigating the benefits of probiotics in COVID-19.

Keywords: COVID-19; Coronavirus; Immunity; Microbiota; Probiotics; SARS-CoV-2.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

COVID-19* / prevention & control
COVID-19* / therapy
Dietary Supplements
Humans
Pandemics
Probiotics* / therapeutic use