Potential of germanium-based compounds in coronavirus infection

Abstract

The first germanium compounds which exhibited immunomodulatory and antiviral effects were sesquioxane-type germanates. To date, more than a dozen compounds containing germanium have been synthesized and are being actively studied. They include germanium carboxylates and citrates, complexes of germanium with resveratrol, daphnetin, mangiferin, chrysin, quercetin, ascorbic and nicotinic acids, amino acids, gamma-lactones, germanium-containing spirulina, yeast and others. Germanium-based compounds have shown the ability to influence the replication of various DNA/RNA viruses, stimulate the body’s natural resistance, prevent the development of metabolic intoxication of various origin, increase the efficacy of vaccines, and prevent the development of excessive accumulation of reactive oxygen species, which plays a decisive role in the development of inflammatory response caused by a viral infection. It seems reasonable to say that germanium-based complex compounds effectively contribute to the preservation of high--energy bonds in the form of ATP, optimize the activity of metabolic processes by re-oxygenation, and exhibit antimicrobial activity. The purpose of this review is to summarize the pharmacological potential of various germanium-based compounds studied nowadays, taking into account their mechanisms of action, and to analyze their prospects in the development of integrated approaches in the prevention and treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

The Organogermanium Compound 3-(Trihydroxygermyl) Propanoic Acid (THGP) Suppresses Inflammasome Activation Via Complexation with ATP

“…Therefore, THGP may effectively inhibit the cytokine storm during SARS-CoV-2 infection by suppressing inflammasome activity. Several authors have noted that Ge-132 may prevent aggravation of COVID-19 induced by anti-oxidative stress and immune activation [ 32 , 33 ]. It has been also reported that Ge-132 suppresses influenza virus growth and reduces mouse mortality [ 34 ].…”

Physiological Activity of Trace Element Germanium Including Anticancer Properties

“…However, the field only began to intensively develop in the 1970s, when the first water-soluble organic germanium compounds were synthesized, gaining attention due to their wide range of biological activities. This topic has been addressed in several reviews [1,5,6,8,24,[36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44] as well as a monograph [7].…”

“…The results of the research once again confirmed the complete safety of Ge-132. The comprehensive study of the various biological activities of Ge-132 [8], including those previously known [36], in particular antitumor [83][84][85][86][87][88][89] and immunomodulating [43,52,54,90], also continued.…”

“…In addition, Ge-132 is proposed as a treatment of a number of diseases: haemorrhagic and ischemic stroke [91,92], viral infections [43,54,[93][94][95] (including COVID-19 [43]), various inflammatory diseases, in particular mastitis [4]. Next, it is suggested in the treatment of diabetes mellitus to reduce insulin resistance [96], and as an antioxidant for various disorders caused by oxidative stress [53,54,[97][98][99] as well as in dermatological practice to heal skin wounds and protect the skin from reactive oxygen species [100,101].…”

“…Among coordination germanium compounds, the most studied are germanium (IV) citrate and germanium (IV) citrate-lactate, which, like GeO2, are of low toxicity but exhibit nephrotoxicity in high doses [6,47,58]. These compounds activate the immune system and are recommended for the treatment of a wide range of diseases, primarily oncological [3,43,46,149,150,153].…”