A study has found that some mouthwashes can suppress Covid-19 infection. The researchers have said in the study that some mouthwashes, that contain a chemical known as ‘cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC)’ block the entry of the SARS-CoV-2 virus into the cells, thus, suppressing the infection.
The researchers have said that commercially available mouthwashes contain a number of antibiotic and antiviral components that act against microorganisms in the mouth.
One of these, cetylpyridinium chloride has been shown to reduce the viral load of SARS-CoV-2 in the mouth. The researchers said the chemical suppresses Covid-19 primarily by disrupting the lipid membrane surrounding the virus.
While other chemicals have also had effects on the virus, the CPC has the advantage of being tasteless and odourless, according to the researcher. The study is based on research on Japanese mouthwashes. The study was published in the journal Scientific Reports.
The team at Hokkaido University in Japan studied the effects of CPC in Japanese mouthwashes which typically contain a fraction of the chemical compared to previously tested mouthwashes.
They tested the effects of CPC on cell cultures that express trans-membrane protease serine 2 (TMPRSS2), an enzyme required by the SARS-CoV-2 for entering the cell.
It also found that within 10 minutes of application, 30–50 microgrammes per milliliter (µg/mL) of CPC inhibited the infectivity and capability for cell entry of SARS-CoV-2. They also said that commercially available mouthwashes that contain CPC performed better.
It also proved that saliva could not alter the effects of CPC.
DOES CPC SUPPRESS ALL COVID VARIANTS?
The study reflected that the CPC affected all variants of Covid-19 in a similar way. The researchers tested four variants of SARS-CoV-2 — the original, Alpha, Beta and Gamma — and found that the effects of CPC were identical.
This study shows that low concentrations of CPC in commercial mouthwash suppress the infectivity of four variants of SARS-CoV-2.
The researchers are now assessing the impact of CPC-containing mouthwashes on viral loads in the saliva of Covid-19 patients.
(With agency inputs)
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