Family Medicine & Medical Science Research
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A Short Communication on Antiviral Property of Potassium Hydroxide

Emin Zümrütdal^{* *}Correspondence: Emin Zümrütdal, Department of Chemistry, General Surgeon, Volunteer Researcher, Adana, Turkey, Email:

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Description

Viral diseases related to the respiratory system, especially caused by enveloped viruses, continue to pose a risk to public health [1]. Enveloped viruses have a lipid layer in the envelope structure, which is one of the weak points of the virus. However, the acidotic load that develops in the tissue due to inflammation and the mucus plugs formed in the respiratory tract make oxygen transport difficult in the lungs. KOH is an alkaline, surface tension lowering and reactive molecule that can interact with lipids. In this article, the study on the antiviral property of KOH is discussed [2].

Ash was inspired in the study on the antiviral property of KOH. Ash was used centuries ago by Avicenna for diseases [3]. Although ash is used in many areas, it is also used as a cleaning material (reducing surface tension) and in soap making (for alkaline effect and lipid interaction). Ash is rich in KOH content [4,5]. It is thought that these properties are achieved through KOH. Therefore, antiviral studies were continued only with KOH to prevent heavy metal poisoning.

For treatment, KOH must be transported to the lung bronchioles. For this reason, the way of administration of KOH in the study is inhaler. A solution of NaCl (8.9-9.0%) in distilled water was formed as carrier agent. The NaCl concentration in this solution is at the concentrations previously used in lung bronchial applications. The most concerned was the KOH additive. Because in some cultural uses, KOH or NaOH is used as caustic for soap making. Serious fatal esophageal injuries due to accidental use of this caustic as drinking water have created a great fear of KOH in humans [6].

In order to prevent this type of injury, but at the same time to create the highest alkalinity, the highest pH range allowed by the World Health Organization was used in drinking water (pH: 8.9-9.1). As a result, KOH was buffered to pH8.9-9.0 in distilled water containing 0.89-0.9% NaCl solution.

Of course, KOH is dangerous in high doses, but direct contact with Hipchlorous acid (HOCl) can be just as dangerous. However, we know that HOCl is made in leukocytes every day, every hour as a defense system. Could humans have life without HOCl? The important thing here is to create a safe concentration.

While examining the antiviral effectiveness of KOH, the damage that may occur from alkalinity was evaluated with in vitro and in vivo studies. In vitro studies have shown that KOH makes mucus more alkaline, reducing contact angle and surface tension. The fact that this mucolytic effect was also demonstrated in vivo in aged mice in the same study in different laboratories supports the accuracy of the findings.

It is known that acidity increases the infectivity of Corona virus and H. influenza in the lung tissue, increases free oxygen radicals in diseases with inflammation in the lungs, decreases mucus fluidity, and accelerates the proliferation of cancer cells [7,8]. These values suggest that KOH may be beneficial not only in viral infections but also in many diseases with inflammation.

In the cell culture study, the fact that KOH prolongs the lifespan by 49% in 24-hour fibroblast cells confirms the considerations about the safety of the optimized pH range.

In silico studies that need to be done in the discovery of therapeutics are indispensable for current practices [9]. In the docking study, the affinity of KOH to the Coronavirus Spike glycoprotein active site, human AGE2 receptor active site, and H.influenza neurominidase enzyme active sites suggests that it will block or weaken the human cell-virus interaction. In addition, the exergonic interaction of KOH to the glycerophosphate part in the virus envelope structure suggests that KOH causes lipid damage.

One of the most important issues to be investigated in this study is the potential of KOH to cause lipid damage in human cells. Considering that a virus is much smaller than a human cell, the most important consideration for the use of KOH is thought to be KOH concentration planning.

It is a very valuable finding that histopathological findings were not found in the oral cavity and lung tissues of mice in in vivo experiments performed in the same studies.

In the same study, the positive shift of superoxide dismutase level with the use of KOH and the most important finding of cell damage, including the cell membrane in the lung tissue, the decrease in malondialdehyde levels with the use of KOH shows the safety of KOH inhalation optimized at pH 9.0.

Conclusion

In COVID-19 and other viral diseases, the causative agent may be the only one, or Hemophilus influenza virus infection or other bacterial infections may be added to this disease. Unfortunately, there is not enough curative treatment for these diseases yet. Therefore, during this period when the search for treatment continues rapidly, KOH can create an effective treatment. In the light of these findings, KOH inhalation seems to be a molecule that deserves more extensive research with its antiviral, alkaline and mucolytic activity in many diseases. The effectiveness of the KOH solution, which goes from fiction to evidence-based information, should be made reliable by clinical trials.

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