Surfactants – Compounds for inactivation of SARS-CoV-2 and other enveloped viruses

Abstract

We provide here a general view on the interactions of surfactants with viruses, with a particular emphasis on how such interactions can be controlled and employed, for inhibiting the infectivity of enveloped viruses, including coronaviruses. The aim is to provide to interested scientists from different fields, including chemistry, physics, biochemistry, and medicine, an overview over the basic properties of surfactants and (corona)viruses, which are relevant to understanding the interactions between the two. Various types of interactions between surfactant and virus are important, and they act on different components of a virus such as the lipid envelope, membrane (envelope) proteins and nucleo-capsid proteins. Accordingly, this cannot be a detailed account of all relevant aspects, but instead a summary that bridges between the different disciplines. We describe concepts and cover a selection of the relevant literature as an incentive for diving deeper into the relevant material. Our focus is on more recent developments around the COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2, applications of surfactants against the virus, and on the potential future use of surfactants for pandemic relief. However, we also cover the most important aspects of the historical development of using surfactants in combatting virus infections. We conclude that surfactants are already playing very important roles in various directions of defence against viruses, either directly, as in disinfection, or as carrier components of drug delivery systems for prophylaxis or treatment. By designing tailor-made surfactants and, consequently, advanced formulations, one can expect a more and more effective use of surfactants, either directly as antiviral compounds or as part of more complex formulations.

Soap, water, and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2): an ancient handwashing strategy for preventing dissemination of a novel virus

“…Soaps or detergents (which by definition are surfactants-see below) begin to destabilize the lipid component of the envelope, leading to fragmentation of the lipid bilayer with embedded proteins. There is association of these fragments with surfactant monomers and possible micellization of these fragments, as well as of free proteins (Le Maire, Champeil & Møller, 2000;Simon et al, 2021), as depicted in Fig. 4.…”

“…While it might be expected that a stronger and more aggressive cleanser might help remove pathogens from the skin, in fact a balance with skin mildness must be struck so as not to dry out the skin or strip away skin lipids or healthy commensal microbiota. Surfactant type and level have been strongly linked to pathogen inactivation efficacy of soaps (Shafa & Salton, 1960;Al-Adham, Haddadin & Collier, 2013;Jensen, Rogers & Schaffner, 2017;Simon et al, 2021). Anionic surfactants, are known to be effective against bacteria, and this is enhanced at higher surfactant levels.…”

“…Generally, surfactants interact with bacteria or viruses in two ways (Chaudhary et al, 2020;Simon et al, 2021). The first is through removal, by suspending and removing the bacteria or virus particles from the skin surface and carrying these away in the rinse water, much as done with particulate soil.…”

Identification and Quantification of Bioactive Compounds Suppressing SARS-CoV-2 Signals in Wastewater-based Epidemiology Surveillance

“…For enveloped viruses, a major point of attraction to surfactant molecules is the lipid bilayer in which hydrophobic interaction may become the main driving force. In addition to hydrophobic interactions, electrostatics may also play a role, especially if the surfactant was oppositely charged [65]. Some surfactants might be bound within the lipid bilayer and this binding will raise the chemical potential of the surfactant in the bilayer, leading to thermodynamic instability [67].…”

The inhibitory effects of toothpaste and mouthwash ingredients on the interaction between the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and ACE2, and the protease activity of TMPRSS2 in vitro

“…Carrouel et al (2021) suggested that some ingredients of mouthwashes reduce the activity of the virus [9]. Povidone-iodine and surfactants, including those found in toothpastes and mouthwashes, are known to inactivate enveloped viruses, including SARS-CoV-2 [9,10]. To further enhance the inhibitory effect of these ingredients on the entry of SARS-CoV-2 into host cells, it is also important to consider its effect on the virus' infection mechanism on the host cell side.…”