Metformin cuts SARS-CoV-2 viral loads

The current study posted in the ‘Clinical Infectious Diseases journal favoured the role of Metformin as a promising ally against COVID-19. It significantly reduced severe cases by day 14, hospitalizations by day 28, and long COVID diagnoses by day 300, lowering the viral load and minimizing rebound compared to placebo.

Metformin exhibits antiviral effects against RNA viruses like severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) by inhibiting protein translation through the host mechanistic target of the rapamycin pathway.

A randomized controlled trial named COVID-OUT, led by Carolyn T. Bramante et al. examined the effectiveness of Metformin, Fluvoxamine and Ivermectin against SARS-CoV-2 in 1323 participants. Of these, 999 people gathered their nasal swabs on the 1st, 5th and 10th day. The reverse-transcription quantitative PCR, polymerase chain reaction was used to compute the viral particles in an individual.

Metformin reduced the mean SARS-CoV-2 viral load by 3.6 times compared to placebo, with fewer people having detectable virus at day 5 or 10. Viral rebound (higher viral load on day 10 than day 5) was less common with Metformin, showing consistent effectiveness across different groups and strengthening over time. Ivermectin and Fluvoxamine did not demonstrate any significant effects compared to placebo.