Quercetin and Viral Defense

When I started researching quercetin, I had no idea that it could have such a potential impact on every person that comes in contact with it. If someone had told me they had an infected cut or wound, I understood how painful that could be, but if they told me the condition was inflammatory, I would never have understood what they were saying. Now I am beginning to understand how inflammation is involved in almost every degenerative disease and medical problem we humans have to deal with.

Research on quercetin is being conducted in many research centers around the world. Researchers in Brazil and Korea have found quercetin was successful in reducing airway resistance (difficulty breathing) more than the adrenaline – like drug albuterol and was equivalent in effect as anti-inflammatory cromolyn. It also performed as well as the potent steroid dexamthasone. Michigan State University explored the impact of dietary flavonoids in their role in systemic anti-inflammatory agents. They knew certain foods acted to lower levels of inflammatory risk factor, C – reactive protein (CRP). Because of this, they started looking for food elements to lower CRP and higher flavonoids were found to successfully lower CRP. Quercetin was at the top of the list of specific flavonoid compounds; thus providing cells the greatest defensive protection. High CRP levels are involved with numerous disease conditions such as obesity, heart disease and lupus. Many researchers now believe it is very important to explore quercetin’s potential for preventing death and disability from a host of major killers.

Garlic has almost 200 compounds. Garlic has been used for centuries to treat and prevent infectious diseases and viral complications. Quercetin is one of the 200 compounds in garlic. Modern science has verified quercetin benefits in preventing viral diseases. Laboratory research on quercetin has acted to reduce reproduction and infection of many viruses, including reparatory syncytial virus (a common causative agent of children’s upper respiratory infection).

Last year Italian researchers discovered that an extract rich in quercetin will up regulate an anti-viral immune response in infected cells. Herpes infected cells responded well to this approach. In an animal study quercetin supplementation was effective in aiding mice to resist an influenza infection following exercise – induced stress. A German nutrition expert Professor Stephan C. Bishoff stated “Quercetin is a most promising compound or disease prevention and therapy.”