Zinc seems to be pretty important in controlling several viruses. Add in a zinc ionophore, like EGCG (green tea), quercitin (an isoflavone), or a chloroquinone, and you have what appears to be a pretty potent combination. Here are two studies, but you can follow these to many more.
“In vitro experiments demonstrate that Zn2+ possesses antiviral activity through inhibition of SARS‑CoV RNA polymerase. This effect may underlie therapeutic efficiency of chloroquine known to act as zinc ionophore.”
I bought an essential oil mix containing lemon, myrrh, peppermint, black pepper, cypress, geranium, cypress, ravensara and tea tree oils. I ordered it from Dreaming Earth Botanicals last fall. I put a drop or two on a cotton pad and set it next to the air inlet on my CPAP machine every night starting back in December. Twice I felt something flu-like come on, but both times the symptoms were gone in a couple hours. Yes, hours, not days. YMMV.
@spiceweasel
From the first Pub Med study:
the other hand in humans after a dose of 2 g curcumin alone, serum levels were either undetectable or very low. Concomitant administration of piperine 20 mg produced much higher concentrations from 0.25 to 1 h post drug (P < 0.01 at 0.25 and 0.5 h; P < 0.01 at 1 h), the increase in bioavailability was 2000%.
So serum levels were a whopping .01!! Maximum concentration, (after the 2000% increase in absorption). They don’t say what unit of measure was used [ug/ml I’m guessing] but that cannot be a physiologically significant dose. At least that’s what I draw from it.
@yorik
That’s helpful, thank you, especially since turmeric still appears less than useful. It’s a lot of (new) information and is making my head spin.
Wish I paid closer attention in chemistry.
Yes they do.
You’re overfocusing on a fragment of research and not looking at the bigger picture. Just because .18 is a “small” number doesn’t equate to insignificant or ineffective. A bunch of studies show curcumin is effective - some of those studies are covered in the other two links I posted earlier.
Add both raw honey and coconut to the list of antiviral-containing food sources
And the less processed, the better (goes without saying)
Yes, forgot to add that, too, as I’ve been using manuka honey.
It is killer for topical. It works great for burns. I had second and third degree burns to half of ny face and most of my right arm. I would have to tell you that for you to know if you were looking at it in person. That stuff did magic.