A Phthalocyanine Derivate Mouthwash to Gargling/Rinsing as an Option to Reduce Clinical Symptoms of COVID-19: Case Series

Abstract

Aim This case series demonstrated that phthalocyanine derivate mouthwash is a promising alternative for reducing the viral load of SARS-CoV-2 and for clinical improvement of infected patients who presented mild and moderate symptoms. Purpose The aim of this study was to report a case series of patients diagnosed with COVID-19 that used the phthalocyanine derivate mouthwash to reduce clinical symptoms. Patients and Methods Eight patients used 5mL of phthalocyanine derivate mouthwash gargling/rinsing for one minute, five times daily, over a fourteen day period. Two measurement scales were applied for each patient in different periods to verify sore throat – VAS – Visual Analogue Scale for Pain and the clinical conditions – PS – Performance Status. Results All patients presented a significant reduction in clinical symptoms with the use of the mouthwash for gargling/rinsing after few days of use, without hospitalization. Conclusion The phthalocyanine derivate mouthwash protocol appears as a potential alternative for clinical improvement of COVID-19 infected patients. Daily use of this mouthwash rapidly reduced clinical symptoms such as sore throats, cough and mouth ulcers. Large, high-quality randomized controlled trials with larger sample size are necessary to confirm the effectiveness of this mouthwash protocol against COVID-19.

The use of antiviral Phthalocyanine mouthwash as a preventive measure against COVID-19

“…This is another relevant result of the positive action of APD, since a reduction in the viral load of SARS-CoV-2 above 90% has already been demonstrated in previous in vitro studies [ 8 ], [ 9 ], as well as the rapid clinical improvement of COVID-19 symptoms [ 10 ]. In a randomized study conducted in a hospital environment, COVID-19 patients with mild and moderate cases underwent an adjuvant APD mouthwash protocol.…”

Virucidal Activity of the Antiseptic Mouthwash and Dental Gel Containing Anionic Phthalocyanine Derivative: In vitro Study

“…2 , 4 , 6 Two case series studies have shown that solutions used for gargling/rinsing with the phthalocyanine derivative contributed to the clinical improvement and general health of individuals infected with COVID-19. 10 An in vitro study demonstrated a promising antiviral action against SARS-CoV-2 in non-cytotoxic concentrations with efficiency between 92% and 99%. The same study also reported a significant decrease in hospital stay, to 4 days, with no evolution in the severity of cases, in individuals contaminated by COVID-19 who used 5 mL of the solution with the phthalocyanine derivative for 1 minute, 5 times a day.…”

“…According to the present study, the use of Mouthwash APD and Dental Gel APD, in maximum and non-cytotoxic concentration, at different times (30 seconds, 1 and 5 minutes) of exposure and contact with the SARS-CoV-2 viral solution, inactivated viral load by 90% and 99.99%, respectively, compared to the positive control, which corroborates the results of previous studies. 4 , 10 , 17 …”

“…The pathophysiology of the COVID-19 itself highlights the importance of effective measures in the early stages of the disease, considering that in the first week of infection, individuals present their symptoms in the upper respiratory tract. 9 , 10 On the other hand, many of the infected individuals showed symptoms and even neurological sequels, and this is suggested by the entry of SARS-CoV-2, present in the oral or nasal mucosa, in the central nervous system, showing how the severity of the disease. 11 …”

Beneficial effects of a mouthwash containing an antiviral phthalocyanine derivative on the length of hospital stay for COVID-19: randomised trial

“…Furthermore, they are dyes awaiting which, with the combination of a sensitizing drug with visible light, will promote the selective destruction of viruses, bacteria and other microorganisms 20 .The potential of phthalocyanines for biological and medical applications has been recognized 20 – 23 , especially in photodynamic therapy, since phthalocyanines in the excited state can promote the reactive oxygen species generation or redox processes, while no such properties are observed in the absence of light. Recently, our research group observed the promising performance of an anionic phthalocyanine derivative (APD) used in a mouthwash protocol without photoexcitation; this protocol improved the general clinical condition of patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection 14 , 15 .…”