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The novel coronavirus has proven to be a formidable foe for the scientific community, especially when it comes to better understanding how it can be treated or stopped. Luckily, tireless research in the field has produced some promising results, including some vitamins and minerals that can potentially help prevent cases from becoming severe. But a new study has found that an over-the-counter medication has the ability to kill COVID, making it a possible weapon in the fight against the disease. Read on to see what researchers found about the medicine, and for more on what can keep coronavirus at bay, check out These 3 Things Could Prevent Almost All COVID Cases, Study Finds. A nasal spray has been found to neutralize the coronavirus. According to an in vitro study posted on Dec. 21 that has not been peer-reviewed, researchers tested the effectiveness of an over-the-counter nasal spray known as Xlear against cultures of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID. Ingredients of the spray include 11 percent xylitol—which is a chemical compound typically used as a sweetener that study authors report has reduced the severity of viral infections—as well as .2 percent grapefruit seed extract (GSE) and .85 percent saline.The results showed that after 25 minutes of contact time, the amount of active virus was dramatically reduced by GSE and had been neutralized by xylitol. "Combination therapy with GSE and xylitol may prevent spread of viral respiratory infections not just for SAR-CoV-2 but also for future H1N1 or other viral epidemics. GSE significantly reduces the viral load while xylitol prevents the virus attachment to the core protein on the cell wall," the study authors wrote. Another small study found it to be effective. Other research has shown that the nasal spray has effectively helped COVID patients fight symptoms, as well. A small case study analyzed three patients from various age groups who had tested positive for coronavirus after giving each of them two spritzes per nostril every six hours. Results found that each patient "demonstrated an improvement in the symptoms and a reduction in the clinical course post use of xylitol plus GSE in the form of a nasal spray, commercially available as Xlear nasal spray, as an adjunct to their ongoing treatment," adding that "this combination could play a potential role in improving the outcome in mild to moderate COVID-19 patients."Still, researchers point out that the limited case set meant that further study was necessary to be conclusive, stating: "While relatively safe for general use, larger randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial studies are mandated which could shed further light on this topic." And for more on how you can keep yourself safe from COVID, check out These Are the 4 Masks You Should Be Wearing Right Now, Experts Say. Cleaning the nasal passages "may help reduce viral infections." While further research is needed, the study authors posit that the treatment, which is inexpensive, widely available, and poses relatively little risk with use could provide a way to help prevent the spread of COVID by killing and otherwise inactivating the virus in the nasal passageways of carriers before they can be exhaled and passed along to others or replicated within the host's body."Studies show that regular nasal cleansing may help reduce viral infections, including from the SARS-CoV-2 virus [which causes COVID-19]," Gustavo Ferrer, MD, a pulmonary disease medical professional at Aventura Hospital and Medical Center in Aventura, Florida and one of the main study's authors said. "The concept is straight-forward: cleansing the nose means less virus, less virus produces less risk of infection." Other potentially effective nasal sprays are also being developed. But Xlear isn't the only nasal spray that has shown promise in potentially combatting COVID. A team of scientists from the University of Birmingham in the U.K. has developed another over-the-counter spray that uses an antiviral agent and a thickening solution to neutralize the virus and trap it in the nasal cavity before it can be spread."We think it will help in schools, as one of the good things about the formulation of the nasal spray is that it would not need to be reformulated for children," Richard Moakes, MD, a lead researcher on a study focused on the new spray told The Telegraph. "If it could facilitate getting students back to school, and education being re-established, then that would be great." And for more on things that might not actually protect you from the virus, check out These 2 COVID Precautions May Not Be Necessary After All, New Study Finds.
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