NUTRIENTS ARE EFFECTIVE
IN INFLUENZA

Influenza is one of the oldest and most common infections and now new fears are spreading through the media about the dangers of a new pandemic of an avian flu.

Flu viruses can be controlled at several levels:

• Directly by affecting the metabolism of specific viruses and thereby limiting their ability to multiply and infect the cells and
• indirectly by hindering viral spread in the tissue.

To date there are no effective therapies against flu viruses. In the Dr Rath Research Institute our researchers have tested whether specific nutrient mixture can affect human influenza A virus. This mixture is composed of nutrients which have been effective in controlling the spread and growth of cancer cells in the tissue. Since all viruses spread in the body using similar mechanism to cancer this nutrient formulation could have an effect on viral infections as well. In addition, many of these nutrients have demonstrated clinical effectiveness in controlling flu in various studies.

We tested the effect of nutrients in both systems using the following indicators of viral growth and spread:

1. Viral infectivity: Flu viruses have on their surface a protein called a neuraminidase. Neuraminidase is an enzyme that enables viruses to escape from the host cells and infect other cells. Decreasing this enzyme activity can make viruses ineffective

Inhibitory Effect of Nutrient Mixture on Influenza Virus A Neuraminidase Activity

Conclusion: Nutrients can inhibit neuraminidase activity associated with human influenza A virus by 70%.

2. Viral growth: The center core of a flu virus holds genetic material called RNA. The viral RNA contains all genes necessary for a virus to survive and reproduce in a host cell. This RNA is packed together with a protein called NP (nuclear protein) which is needed by the virus to multiply its RNA copies. In cells infected with a virus a decrease in NP protein production indicates that viral multiplication has been limited.

Effect of Nutrient Mixture on Influenza viral Antigen Production (NP) in infected Kidney cells

Conclusion: Nutrients can completely stop the multiplication of human influenza A virus in infected kidney cells.

3. Viral spread: All viruses spread in the tissue and reach blood vessels by disrupting their natural barrier made of collagen-rich extracellular matrix. Therfore, all viral infections are accompanied by higher proteolytic activity, in particular of digesting enzymes called MMP-2 and MMP-9. By limiting secretion of these enzymes the viral spread in the tissues can be curbed.

Conclusion: Nutrients can inhibit secretion of MMP2 and MMP9 in kidney cells infected by human influenza A, thereby stopping their spread in the tissue.

Summary: Nutrient mixture containing vitamin C, Green tea extract (EGCG ), amino acids : lysine, proline, arginine, N acetyl cysteine , selenium, and other essential natural components can directly decrease viral multiplication in infected cells and limit their spread by curbing enzymatic degradation of extracellular surroundings.