MCRI Comments on Long COVID

Long COVID or post-COVID “long haulers” is the condition when people who suffered from COVID and no longer the virus is detected in the body still have symptoms. As described by the article of Dr. Anthony Komaroff, MD, in late 2020, the most common symptoms are fatigue, body aches, shortness of breath, difficulty concentrating (brain fog), inability to exercise, headache, and difficulty sleeping.

Even though there is no formal or scientific definition of the long COVID, various studies describe the persistent COVID-related symptoms (DOI: 10.1001/jama.2020.12603 | DOI: 10.15585/mmwr.mm6930e1). With the worldwide vaccination rollout and the subsequent reduction in the SARS-CoV-2 transmission, one of the future concerns will be how to treat patients with long COVID-19.

The brain fog, one of the most incapacitating post-COVID symptom, and described by Dr. Theoharides, its pathogenesis is unclear but may involve neuroinflammation via mast cells stimulated by pathogenic and stress stimuli to release mediators that activate microglia and lead to inflammation in the hypothalamus.

A recent publication from Dr. Theoharis C Theoharides, a world-class researcher in this field, explains that luteolin could help fight the effects of this presentation of the disease. This publication review how some symptoms, especially those related to neuroinflammation, could be mitigated by the phytosomal formulation of this natural flavonoid.

One of the scopes of MCRI is to support the identification, development, and use of second-use drugs or compounds for mast cell-related diseases.

Links:

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/the-tragedy-of-the-post-covid-long-haulers-2020101521173

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32644129/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7392393/https://iubmb.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/biof.1726