CAN ALGAE DEFEAT COVID-19 VIRUS?

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by a newly discovered coronavirus and mainly targets the respiratory system. The current therapy includes giving concentrated oxygen through nasal tubes, antivirals (remdesivir) and immunomodulators (tocilizumab) along with other symptomatic treatment. But the issue with these treatment options is that they are limited in stock and expensive, thus not all patients can economically afford them. Algae can prove to be an effective alternative as it is cheap and easy to grown in laboratories. It contains chemo-diverse compounds that have multiple therapeutic properties including anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and immune booster properties. Algae can be genetically modified to produce spike proteins that can be utilized in serological antibody testing for SARS-CoV-2 virus and for manufacturing vaccine antigen against COVID-19. Certain specific blue-green algae and red algae contain various compounds that- have immunomodulatory property, boost the immune system and provide various vitamins and minerals to the body. Extracts from these algae can be used as supplements that can help prevent COVID-19 infection or at least reduce the severity of the symptoms.