NIH Clinical Trials.Gov
Currently no treatment has been proved to be efficient in the treatment of infected patients by COVID-19. Natural honey has been demonstrated as potent antimicrobial in many research investigations and has been considered a good alternative for antiviral drugs for the treatment of some viral infections. The investigators aim to study the efficacy of natural honey in the treatment of COVID-19 patients
The (SARS CoV-2) virus is spreading globally, threatening all healthcare systems. Many healthcare systems and organizations are using different protocols and measures to fight the COVID-19. Hydroxychloroquine, lopinavir and other antiviral medications are currently under research investigations. Natural honey has been well known for its high health properties in diabetes, nutrition, dyslipidemia, skin lesions and it got FDA approval for topical wound treatment in 2007 as the most potent antimicrobial agent.
Honey has been previously considered as an alternative for acyclovir in the treatment of herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) and it also demonstrated for its significant antiviral effect against varicella zoster virus (VZV). Many studies have demonstrated the broad spectrum antimicrobial effect of honey as an antibacterial, anti fungal, antiviral and antimycobacterial. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the Public Health England (PHE) guidelines recommended honey as a first line of treatment for acute cough caused by upper respiratory tract infection which is currently a cornerstone symptom in COVID-19 infectious disease.
Moreover, natural honey should no longer be used as “alternative” and deserves to gain more attention by scientists and researchers. The aim of this trial is to study the efficacy of natural honey in treatment of patients infected with COVID-19 in comparison with current standard care.
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04323345