It binds the viruses making it impossible for them to enter the cells and infect them.
In Summary
• Researchers claim that the chemical derived from banana fruit works against all flu variants, including Covid-19 disease.

• The Professor added that the dosage could be delivered systematically or through the nose in animal models early in the illness and it worked.

A recent study has revealed that banana protein is capable of treating all Covid-19 variants.

Researchers claim that the chemical derived from banana fruit works against all flu variants, including Covid-19 disease.

A team led by David Markovitz, MD, professor of internal medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases at the University of Michigan Medical School, made the discovery recently.

The study was done before the pandemic to target flu and despite the Covid lockdowns putting a stop to its research, it showed to be effective on Covid-19 after tests were done on animals.

"We thought MERS would be the big target, which we were worried about because of its 35 per cent mortality rate," said Markovitz.

MERS, or Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome, caused a brief outbreak in 2015 and resulted in 858 confirmed deaths.

The Professor added that the dosage could be delivered systematically or through the nose in animal models early in the illness and it worked.

The chemical derived from the banana acquires its outstanding viral-blocking abilities by binding to polysaccharides that are present on the surface of the viruses.

After the binding, the viruses cannot enter cells to infect them.

The research team confirmed that the chemical found in bananas develops multiple strong bonds with spike protein which probably explains why it is hard for a coronavirus to be resistant to the protein.

Markovitz explained that, despite their anti-viral potential, lectins have traditionally been avoided as possible therapies because they are proteins that can stimulate the immune system in a potentially harmful way.

Lectins are defined as proteins that bind to carbohydrates

The team envisions a nasal spray or drops that can be used to prevent or treat coronavirus and influenza infections in seasonal and pandemic situations.

Markovitz and the team hope to see the therapy take the more difficult step from animal model to testing in humans.

According to the National Library of Medicine, the dietary guidelines in the fight against Covid-19 include;

• Eating fruits such as guava, apple, banana, pineapple, pawpaw, and orange.
• Eating fresh vegetables garlic, ginger, kale and legumes.
• Eat whole grains and nuts; unprocessed maize, oats, wheat, millet, brown rice or roots such as yam, potato, taro or cassava.
• Red meat can be eaten once or twice per week, and poultry 2−3 times per week.
• Do not overcook vegetables as it leads to the loss of important nutrients such as vitamins and minerals.
• Consume unsaturated fats. They are found in avocados, fish, nuts, soy, olive oil, canola, corn oil, and sunflower.
• Drink 8–10 glasses of water every day. It helps to transport nutrients in the blood, gets rid of waste, and regulates the body temperature.
• Avoid all fizzy, carbonated, concentrated juices, and all drinks which contain sugar.

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