Nicotine may have an inhibiting effect on the emergence of the new coronavirus, according to researchers in France, where preventive trials will begin with adhesive nicotine patches to verify this.
This hypothesis is supported by the small number of smokers among the Covid-19 patients admitted to hospital, as several studies have shown in the world, with rates ranging between 1.4% and 12.5%.
A new study of 350 Covid-19 patients admitted to hospital and 150 who were less severe but who consulted a doctor confirmed the small number of smokers among patients.
"Among the patients, only 5% of smokers were among the patients," said Zuhair Ammurah, a professor of internal medicine, who prepared the study.
Professor Jean-Pierre Chanceau, from the Pasteur Institute, explained that the hypothesis "is that nicotine by attaching it to cellular receptors used by the Corona virus prevents it from being confirmed" and then entering and spreading into the cells.
However, the nicotine hypothesis still needs to be proven.
After final approval, nicotine patches will be used in different doses in the framework of three separate experiments, one of which includes health staff to see if they will protect them and the other patients in regular hospital departments in order to alleviate their symptoms and patients in the resuscitation department.
Nicotine may contribute to the relief of acute infections known as the "cytokine storm" that appears to play a key role in Covid-19 severe cases and is generally unable to treat them.
But these studies should not incite people to rush to cigarettes and nicotine patches as doctors indicate, reminding that smoking affects the lungs and is not good for health (cancer, heart attacks, and chronic and serious chest infections).
This hypothesis, "said French Health Minister Olivier Ferrand," is an interesting path, among other pathways for clinical research. "