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Published on: June 5, 2021
5-amino levulinic acid inhibits SARS-CoV-2 infection in vitro
Yasuteru Sakurai1, Mya Myat Ngwe Tun2, Yohei Kurosaki1
1Department of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, 852-8523, Japan; National Research Center for the Control and Prevention of Infectious Diseases, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, 852-8521, Japan.
Abstract:
The current COVID-19 pandemic requires urgent development of effective therapeutics. 5-amino levulinic acid (5-ALA) is a naturally synthesized amino acid and has been used for multiple purposes including as an anticancer therapy and as a dietary supplement due to its high bioavailability. In this study, we demonstrated that 5-ALA treatment potently inhibited infection of SARS-CoV-2, a causative agent of COVID-19, in cell culture. The antiviral effects could be detected in both human and non-human cells, without significant cytotoxicity. Therefore, 5-ALA is worth to be further investigated as an antiviral drug candidate for COVID-19.
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