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Published on: March 18, 2022
Effects of Ultramicronized Palmitoylethanolamide (um-PEA) in COVID-19 Early Stages: A Case-Control Study
Maria Albanese1, Giulia Marrone2, Agostino Paolino3
1Neurology Unit, Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, 00133 Rome, Italy.
Insights
Ultramicronized palmitoylethanolamide (um-PEA) supplementation reduced inflammation and oxidative stress in early COVID-19 patients. This adjuvant therapy also improved serological response and coagulation markers, suggesting potential benefits for managing the disease.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Immunology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) presents with inflammatory and oxidative stress complications.
- Early-stage COVID-19 management requires effective adjuvant therapies.
- Ultramicronized palmitoylethanolamide (um-PEA) possesses antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of um-PEA as an adjuvant treatment for early-stage COVID-19.
- To assess the impact of um-PEA on inflammatory markers, oxidative stress, and immune response in COVID-19 patients.
Main Methods:
- A randomized clinical trial involving 90 COVID-19 patients.
- Patients were assigned to either um-PEA (1800 mg/day for 28 days) or a control group.
- Monitoring included laboratory parameters, inflammatory/oxidative stress biomarkers, lymphocyte subpopulations, and serological response at baseline and after 28 days.
Main Results:
- The um-PEA group showed significant reductions in C-reactive protein (CRP), Interleukin-6 (IL-6), and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio.
- Increased oxidative stress markers were observed in the control group compared to the um-PEA group.
- um-PEA treatment led to decreased D-dimer levels and increased IgG levels against SARS-CoV-2.
Conclusions:
- um-PEA demonstrates beneficial effects in asymptomatic and mild-symptomatic COVID-19 patients.
- The compound effectively reduces inflammation, oxidative stress, and coagulative cascade alterations.
- um-PEA shows promise as an adjuvant therapy for early COVID-19 management.
Abstract:
Ultramicronized palmitoylethanolamide (um-PEA), a compound with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties, appears to be a potential adjuvant treatment for early stages of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In our study, we enrolled 90 patients with confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 that were randomized into two groups, homogeneous for age, gender and BMI. The first group received oral supplementation based on um-PEA at a dose of 1800 mg/day for a total of 28 days; the second group was the control group (R.S. 73.20). At baseline (T0) and after 28 days of um-PEA treatment (T1), we monitored: routine laboratory parameters, inflammatory and oxidative stress (OS) biomarkers, lymphocytes subpopulation and COVID-19 serological response. At T1, the um-PEA-treated group presented a significant reduction in inflammation compared to the control group (CRP p = 0.007; IL-6 p = 0.0001; neutrophils to lymphocytes ratio p = 0.044). At T1, the controls showed a significant increase in OS compared to the treated group (FORT p = 0.05). At T1, the um-PEA group exhibited a significant decrease in D-dimer levels (p = 0.0001) and higher levels of IgG against SARS-CoV-2 (p = 0.0001) compared to the controls. Our data demonstrated, in a randomized clinical trial, the beneficial effects of um-PEA in both asymptomatic and mild-symptomatic patients related to reductions in inflammatory state, OS and coagulative cascade alterations.
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