What you Need to Know: 2019-nCoV; or, why you should drink gin & tonics and definitely take anti-viral herbs.

2019-nCoV (the new coronavirus) is closely related to the SARS virus with about 80% similarity – .  They both bind to the ACE 2 receptor – this is the angiotensin converting enzyme 2 receptor – but this current CoV has 10-20 times the binding affinity of the previous SARS virus – it is better at infecting us. https://science.sciencemag.org/content/early/2020/02/19/science.abb2507

Angiotensin is a hormone that causes constriction of our arteries to increase blood pressure when necessary.  This is important as it can indicate a greater threat to specific populations –  in the hospital records from China I found that the highest fatalities from this novel coronavirus are the population who are elderly and have high blood pressure (hypertension).  As with all flu fatality increases with age.   In the US it is looking like all cardiovascular disease (including high blood pressure) and diabetes are serious risk factors. 

This is an RNA virus, which means it has RNA as its genetic material instead of DNA; SARS, the common cold, regular flu and hepatitis are all examples of RNA viruses. They have a higher mutation rate than DNA viruses, which makes them harder to create vaccines for.

Viruses work by attaching themselves to the cell and releasing their genetic information into the cell, which then instructs the cell’s machinery to replicate the genetic information.  This repeats until the virions rupture the cell to be released into circulation and invade more cells.

CoV is an enveloped, positive-sense single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) virus belonging to the Coronaviridae family.

There are currently two known existing drugs that appear to block this particular virus, remdesivir and chloroquine, and both are under investigation by pharmaceutical companies. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41422-020-0282-0

Remdesivir is an adenosine analogue, meaning it sits in the place of adenosine in the RNA structure as it is being built – it incorporates into nascent viral RNA chains and results in pre-mature termination – it breaks the replication chain.  But it is IV only.

Chloroquine (a synthetic quinine, like in tonic water – yes, drink gin and tonics to help stop the coronavirus!) is a widely used drug in malaria treatment.  It is currently used in tandem with the Chinese herbal isolate Aretemisinin, the effects of which (on malaria) were highlighted by the Nobel Prize in 2015.

Chloroquine has been shown to block the 2019-nCoV infection by increasing endosomal pH required for virus/cell fusion, as well as interfering with the glycosylation of cellular receptors of SARS-CoV, interfering with binding.

Here, Forbes is tracking Pharma’s work: https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexknapp/2020/03/13/coronavirus-drug-update-the-latest-info-on-pharmaceutical-treatments-and-vaccines/#4457a95021db

There is current research on RNA virus replication interruption by Chinese herbs, in similar fashion to Artemisinin; this shows that the use of Chinese herbs to treat RNA viruses is appropriate and likely to work.

The average incubation period for the flu is 2 days – and this is where treatment and containment of 2019-nCoV gets tricky – and incubation period for the current coronavirus averages 5 days.  This means you can have it and be spreading it without knowing you have it for many days – up to 14.

Far fewer people have died from nCoV so far, but it appears that overall its mortality rate is higher than the flu possibly up to 10x.  If that is borne out in the US, this is just the beginning of the problem.  Here are the stats as of today in the US:

The CDC estimates that 20,000-52,000 Americans have died so far this flu season from the regular flu.   So far almost 3,000 have died from the 2019-nCoV.

The regular flu has killed twice as many children this year than it ever has – a 50% jump is very worrying.  Children can be carriers of 2019-nCoV but this virus does not appear to cause death in children at anywhere near the rate of elderly.

 

My Recommendations

If you are over 55 and have blood pressure issues and /or any chronic lung problems, or sepsis, please take all possible precautions, including any pharmaceuticals that become available.  Additionally there is an IV called a Myers Cocktail that you can get from your doctor, or if in Los Angeles The Hydration Room offers this to walk-in clients.  This will help boost your immunity in the short-term.

The rest of us:

Due to the extended incubation period there is no way to know if you have been infected.

If you believe you may have been infected, or if you just want to be careful, I suggest taking a round of Chinese herbs targeted at interfering with RNA viral replication. 

I have compiled a list of Chinese herbs that have been shown in research studies to effectively block RNA viral replication.  This article linked here lists the top 26 likely to be effective against 2019-nCoV:  https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095496420300157?via%3Dihub

Official Chinese policy in hospitals is now to use herbs in conjunction with any available Western medicine.  This is translated by the foremost expert on Chinese herbology in the US, Dr. John Chen, and contains the Chinese State recommendations on the use of herbs for this virus (now required), as well as herbal formulas by stage and type: https://www.elotus.org/article/how-covid-19-2019-ncov-currently-treated-china-tcm

The case reports using herbs show clearly that we have some answers here, and most definitely should be using them.

“From the Western Han Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty, at least 321 large-scale plagues occurred in China. Chinese medicine has served to wage life-and-death battles against various plagues consistently through time and has successfully contained the spread of epidemics in a limited area and time. There has never been a similar tragedy in China’s history, such as the Spanish flu or the Black Death [because of this medicine].”

For myself and my family I have created an anti-RNA virus herbal formula, containing a majority of herbs specifically targeted against 2019-nCoV from current research.  There is also a version specifically safe for pregnancy.

I can provide herbs for you – but unlike previous similar viruses symptoms vary widely with this:   https://drlaurakelly.com/supplies/

Please provide information on whether you have a fever/feel warm or have a sore throat, and your symptoms – cough, phlegm, headache, etc.

Because many of these herbs are also antibiotic I suggest making sure you take probiotics during and after, and if your gut is already impaired I suggest taking Saccharomyces boulardii along with the herbs.

If you have already contracted the 2019-nCoV then I suggest (based on the above research) that you add a formula for middle/late stage viral interruption, or pneumonia – please take both formulas.

You can find it here: https://drlaurakelly.com/supplies/

Please make sure to include your symptoms so I can target as closely as possible your particular presentation.

I have successfully used herbs to fight viruses both personally and with my patients, so although there are no guarantees my experience tells me this has a good chance of working; at the very least helping to cut down infection time.

Additionally it is important to work on your immunity, all year round.  Given the right tools your body will be able to fight off a majority of invaders.

We can be carriers who might not suffer too terribly ourselves but might pass it on to others who are not as strong.  This is the reason for being responsible, and this is an excellent reason for preventive measures such as herbs and containment.  And gin & tonics.