Quercetin

Quercetin was initially found to provide broad-spectrum protection against SARS coronavirus in the aftermath of the SARS epidemic that broke out across 26 countries in 2003.1,2,3 Now, some doctors are advocating its use against SARS-CoV-2, in combination with vitamin C, noting that the two have synergistic effects. Incidentally, ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and the bioflavonoid quercetin (originally labeled vitamin P) were both discovered by the same scientist — Nobel prize winner Albert Szent-Györgyi.4,5 Quercetin’s antiviral capacity has been attributed to five main mechanisms of action: Inhibiting the virus’ ability to infect cells by transporting zinc across cellular membranes Inhibiting replication of already infected cells Reducing infected cells’ resistance to treatment with antiviral medication Inhibiting platelet aggregation — and many COVID-19 patients suffer abnormal blood clotting Promoting SIRT2, thereby inhibiting the NLRP3 inflammasome assembly involved with COVID-19 infec