Flavonoid helps zinc to enter into virus-infected cell

KUWAIT CITY, April 6: In the midst of research for an effective treatment for the emerging coronavirus, a consultant for Internal Medicine and the Digestive System at the Thunyan Al-Ghanem Center at the Amiri Hospital, Dr Fahd Al-Najjar, confirmed that scientific studies have proven that molokhia leaves whose scientific name (corchorus olitorius) contain flavonoid that helps zinc to enter into the virus-infected cell and prevents the reproduction mechanism of its RNA genetic material to stop the virus from reproducing inside the body, reports Al-Rai daily.

In a statement to Al-Rai, Dr Najjar said, in response to a question raised about a popular Egyptian meal called “Shilo” and its most prominent molokhia ingredients that “the flavonoid substance contained in molokhia, and other agricultural products such as parsley, coriander, dill and cranberries with a high concentration in growing capers buckwheat tea, helps zinc enter the virus-infected cell.

He added flavonoid, according to what is seen in scientific research, is used by the element zinc to enter the inside of the viral cell and these keys are called zinc Ionophore, which is the same way in which the antimalaria drugs, chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine have proven successful against the virus which finally worked.

He pointed out that “one of the well-known zinc properties is quercetin, which is marketed as an antioxidant food supplement because it contains flavonoids, and therefore the compounds or elements present in the components of the so-called cholulu may be effective against the coronavirus, but not because it contains a substance that protects the stomach wall from garlic and lemon, but because studies have shown that molokhia contains the substance flavonoid that helps the element zinc to enter the virus-infected cell and interfere with the mechanism of production of its genetic material RNA and stops reproduction of the virus inside the body.