Essential Oils and Coronavirus

Original article was published on Platform Essencia.

https://platformessencia.com/ucucu-yaglar-ve-koronavirus/

Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that have caused (SARS-CoV) and (MERS-CoV) outbreaks in the past years, and a new species (COVID-19), which was first detected in Wuhan, China at the end of 2019 (1). Signs of infection include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and difficulty breathing. Infection in more serious cases; It can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome and kidney failure, and raises anxiety with fatal cases (2).

A SARS-CoV epidemic occurred in 2002-2003 as a result of mutation of a coronavirus specific to cats and transmitting it to humans. Similarly, a coronavirus infecting camels in Saudi Arabia in 2012 became contagious to humans and caused an epidemic of MERS-CoV. The original source of COVID-19 exposed in Wuhan has not yet been discovered, but researchers estimate that it is transmitted from bats sold in the animal market for food (3).

As with all respiratory viruses, there are many simple and practical measures that can be taken to prevent transmission of the virus (4).

• Avoiding close contact with sick people
• Avoiding contact with door handles, elevator buttons, etc. in crowded environments
• Cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces
• Washing hands for 20 seconds after being in crowded places and using a disinfectant containing at least 60% alcohol
• Avoid touching the mucous areas of the virus, such as the eyes, nose and mouth, with unclean hands.

How do we strengthen our immunity?

In case of virus infection, strong immune system is one of the most effective methods of avoiding the effect of the infected virus. The immune system performs the function of defending the human body against microorganisms that cause disease. The best step you can take to keep your immune system naturally strong and healthy is to choose a healthy lifestyle5. Researchers state that diet, exercise, age, psychological stress and other factors are effective on the immune response. It needs a good and regular diet for the function of the healthy immune system. It is known that people who are malnourished and unhealthy are more vulnerable to infectious diseases. For strong immunity, a diet rich in fruits and vegetables should be preferred. In addition, smoking should be avoided and regular exercise should be done. In addition, adequate sleep intake is very important for the immune system. With the discovery that various diseases are linked to the effects of stress, modern medicine has begun to appreciate the close relationship between mind and body. Therefore, you can strengthen your immune system by keeping your stress to a minimum with mindfulness, meditation, energy studies and awareness awareness and return methods.

Viruses are simple organisms, consisting of genetic material (DNA or RNA) and a protein coating called capsid. Viruses cannot reproduce or spread without invading a host cell. When the virus encounters the host cell, typically epithelial cells in the nose, throat and lungs, it enters the cell by binding to the receptors located in the membrane of these cells. After entering the cell, it opens its coating and starts to multiply using the mechanisms of the cell. Antiviral drugs target different stages of the viral life cycle we are talking about. If we give an example for influenza; Amantadine and Rimantadine target early stages in the viral cycle, while Oseltamivir (Tamiflu®), Peramivir (Rapivab®) and Zanamivir (Relenza®) target late stages and the prevention of virus spread. Although a drug has not yet been developed for the COVID-19 coronavirus, the ability of viruses to become immune to existing drugs by mutation necessitates the continual development of new drugs, even for diseases that already have the drug. The development of treatments targeting more than one step in the life cycle of viruses will be the most effective way to combat clinical complications and prevent the spread of the disease. Essential oils with a complex structure consisting of a large number of molecules target multiple stages of the viral life cycle, unlike standard drugs consisting of a single molecule. Therefore, viruses are considered to be much less likely to become immune to essential oils than standard drugs (6).

Essential oils have been used in traditional medicine for many years in many parts of the world to relieve viral airway symptoms(7), (8). With the increasing number of publications examining the antiviral properties of essential oils in recent years, the mechanisms of action of viruses affecting the upper respiratory tract, such as influenza, SARS, MERS, are exposed and evidence-based practices are paved the way (9), (10). Vimalanathan et al. In a study conducted by and graphically below, 10 minutes of vapor of eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus) and bergamot (Citrus bergamia) essential oils; The essential oils of cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum), lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus), lavender (Lavandula officinalis) and geranium (Pelargonium graveolens) were found to have very strong antiviral effects within 30 minutes (11) (Figure 1).

Figure 1: Contact time and antiviral effect with essential oil vapor

In another study, a essential oil mixture containing cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum), clove (Syzygium aromaticum), sweet orange (Citrus sinensis), eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus) and rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) inhibits protein production of H1N1 virus for cells in non-toxic doses. It has been shown (12). More than 99% of H1N1 and HSV1 viruses of the mixture of cinnamon (Cinnamomum zeylanicum), eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) and carrot seed (Daucus carota) essential oils prepared in linseed (Camelina sativa) fixed oil it has been observed to cause a decrease (13). Diffusion of aerosolized eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus) or tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) essential oils for 15 seconds has been shown to inactivate influenza particles in the air within 15 minutes (Figure 2).

Figure 2: Antiviral effect of diffused (a) tea tree essential oil and (b) eucalyptus essential oil aerosols

Considering these studies, we can use the essential oils with antiviral effect by diffusion to inactivate the viruses that cause respiratory diseases in our environments without infecting our body, or we can use it by inhalation to neutralize the viruses that infect our body. For this purpose, we have created two practical anti-viral essential oil formulations for you using the information we have gathered from the articles we have reviewed:

1) Anti-viral Diffusion Formulation

You can use the essential oils listed below by mixing them in the specified proportions and using the diffuser. However, this diffuser should be of the types working directly with essential oils, not with water. After the 15-minute diffusion application, the application can be repeated several times during the day by taking a minimum of 45 minutes between the two periods and the room is ventilated. However, direct diffusion to the face should be avoided.

2) Anti-viral Gel Spray Formulation

Mix the essential oils listed below with a total of 25 drops (approximately 1 mL) in the specified proportions, then mix by adding 10 mL of alcohol and 10 mL of aloe vera gel, respectively. You can apply your mixture to a spray bottle with a pump whenever you need it to disinfect your hands.

References

(1) Lu, Roujian et al. “Genomic characterization and epidemiology of 2019 novel coronavirus: implications for virus origins and receptor binding.” The Lancet, Vol. 395, no. 10224, 2020, pp. 565-574.
(2) Huang, Chaolin et al. “Clinical features of patients infected with 2019 novel coronavirus in Wuhan, China.” The Lancet, Vol. 395, no. 10223, 2020, pp. 497-506.
(3) https: //www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/mcm-issues/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19
(4) https: //www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
(5) https: I //www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/how-to-boost-your-immune-syste
(6) Tisserand, Robert. “Resistance is futile.” https://tisserandinstitute.org/resistance-is-futile/ Access: December 11, 2018.
(7) Setzer, William N. “Essential oils as complementary and alternative medicines for the treatment of influenza.” American Journal of Essential Oils and Natural Products, vol. 4, no. 4, 2016, pp. 16-22.
(8) Reichling, Jürgen. “Antiviral effects of essential oils used traditionally in aromatherapy. ”International Journal of Clinic Aromatherapy, Vol. 7, no. 1, 2010, pp 29-35.
(9) Becker, Shannon. “Essential Oils to Prevent the Spread of Flu.” https://tisserandinstitute.org/essential-oils-flu/ 2015. Accessed: March 4, 2020.
(10) Swamy, Mallappa Kumara et al. “Antimicrobial properties of plant essential oils against human pathogens and their mode of action: an updated review.” Evidence-Based Complementary and alternative Medicine, Article ID: 3012462, 2016.
(11) Vimalanathan, Selvarani et al. “Anti-influenza virus activity of essential oils and vapors.” American Journal of Essential Oils and Natural Products, Vol. 2, no. 1, 2014, pp. 47-53.
(12) Wu, Shuhua, et al. “Protective essential oil attenuates influenza virus infection: An in vitro study in MDCK cells.” BMC Complementary & Alternative Medicine, vol. 10, no. 69, 2010, pp. 1-13.
(13) Brochot, Amandine, et al. “Antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral effects of three essential oil blends.” MicrobiologyOpen, Vol. 6, no. 4, 2016, pp. 1-6.
(14) Pyankov, Oleg V, et al. “Inactivation of Airborne Influenza Virus by Tea Tree and Eucalyptus Oils.” Aerosol Science and Technology, Vol. 46, no. 12, 2012, pp. 1295-1302.
(15) Usachev, Evgeny V, et al. “Antiviral activity of tea tree and eucalyptus oil aerosol and vapor.” Journal of Aerosol Science, Vol. 59, 2013, pp. 22-30.