Name: JOHNSON ELIJAH

Reg no: 2016464003

Class:400LEVEL

COURSE: CHEMICAL PATHOLOGY

Department: MEDICINE AND SURGERY

Institution: NNAMDI AZIKIWE UNIVERSITY, AWKA.

REFERENCE: 1.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/

2. https://www.worldometers.info/

Question: what is the role of vitamin D and A in the manage of covid 19.

Answer:

THE ROLE OF VITAMINS D

The outbreak of COVID-19 has created a global public health crisis. Little is known about the protective
factors of this infection. Therefore, preventive health measures that can reduce the risk of infection,
progression and severity are desperately needed. This review discussed the possible roles of vitamin D in
reducing the risk of COVID-19 and other acute respiratory tract infections and severity. Moreover, this
study determined the correlation of vitamin D levels with COVID-19 cases and deaths in 20 European
countries as of 20 May 2020. A significant negative correlation (p = 0.033) has been observed between
mean vitamin D levels and COVID-19 cases per one million population in European countries. However,
the correlation of vitamin D with COVID-19 deaths of these countries was not significant. Some
retrospective studies demonstrated a correlation between vitamin D status and COVID-19 severity and
mortality, while other studies did not find the correlation when confounding variables are adjusted.
Several studies demonstrated the role of vitamin D in reducing the risk of acute viral respiratory tract
infections and pneumonia. These include direct inhibition with viral replication or with anti-
inflammatory or immunomodulatory ways. In the meta-analysis, vitamin D supplementation has been
shown as safe and effective against acute respiratory tract infections. Thus, people who are at higher
risk of vitamin D deficiency during this global pandemic should consider taking vitamin D supplements to
maintain the circulating 25(OH)D in the optimal levels 75-125 nmol/L. In conclusion, there not enough
evidence on the association between vitamin D levels and COVID-19 severity and mortality. Therefore,
randomized control trials and cohort studies are necessary to test this hypothesis. Vitamin D

Vitamin D receptor signaling has shown to play a role in decreasing the storm of cytokines and
chemokines, modulating neutrophil activity and the renin angiotensin system, and maintaining the
pulmonary epithelial barrier. [56] In animal studies, vitamin D receptor knockout mice experienced more
severe lung injury than wild mice. [56] There are currently several ongoing observational and
interventional studies evaluating the use of vitamin D for the prevention and/or management of ARDS in
the setting of COVID-19. Vitamin D
Vitamin D receptor signaling has shown to play a role in decreasing the storm of cytokines and
chemokines, modulating neutrophil activity and the renin angiotensin system, and maintaining the
pulmonary epithelial barrier. [56] In animal studies, vitamin D receptor knockout mice experienced more
severe lung injury than wild mice. [56] There are currently several ongoing observational and
interventional studies evaluating the use of vitamin D for the prevention and/or management of ARDS in
the setting of COVID-19. Vitamin D

The nutrient gaining the most traction among scientists studying SARS-CoV-2 is vitamin D. The vitamin is
found in some foods; it's also a hormone our bodies make when ultraviolet rays from sunlight strike the
skin. Many know about vitamin D for its part in bone health. Equally important is its critical role in
immune function, which is why it's in the spotlight with the coronavirus.

Data from countries where vitamin D deficiency is common show higher cases of COVID-19 infection and
more serious health consequences from the illness, including death, says June McKoy, M.D., associate
professor of medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. This correlation has
prompted scientists to further explore whether vitamin D has any protective qualities against SARS-CoV-
2, even while other published reports dispute the link.

Another association of interest: One population most at risk for vitamin D deficiency — people who have
darker skin color — is the same group that is being hit disproportionately hard by COVID-19 in the U.S.
Hospitalization rates and deaths among Black Americans for COVID-19 are significantly higher than for
their white peers. The same trend is reflected in the data for children with COVID-19.

"What we've seen is that the virus might actually be making use of that deficit,” McKoy says.

What's more, obesity, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes — all risk factors for severe illness
from COVID-19 — have been tied to low vitamin D levels.

So far, the research looking at vitamin D and SARS-CoV-2 is limited, but Willett says a number of studies
are underway, so expect to see more data in the near future. In the meantime, if you are able to get
outside for a few minutes a day, do it. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) says most people meet at
least some of their vitamin D needs through exposure to sunlight. The recommended daily amount of
vitamin D is at least 600 international units (IUs) a day for people ages 19 to 70, and at least 800 IUs for
those older than 70; the tolerable upper intake for adults is 4,000 IUs per day, according to the NIH.

Stay-at-home orders and lockdowns brought on by the coronavirus outbreak have made access to
frequent sunlight harder for some people in recent months, leading many to “almost certainly have
lower vitamin D levels than they would have normally this time of year,” Willett says. For this
population, Willett recommends a supplement to keep levels in the recommended range. Just
remember to talk to your doctor before taking any supplement, since there's a potential it could interact
with other medications.

The role of vitamin A:

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes coronavirus disease 2019
(COVID-19), an epidemic disease characterized by rapid infection and a high death toll. The
clinical diagnosis of patients with COVID-19 has risen sharply, especially in Western countries.
Globally, an effective treatment for COVID-19 is still limited. Vitamin A (VA) exhibits
pharmacological activity in the management of pneumonia. Thus, we reason that VA may
potentially serve as an anti-SARS-CoV-2 regimen. In this study, bioinformatics analysis and
computation assays using a network pharmacology method were conducted to explore and
uncover the therapeutic targets and mechanisms of VA for treating COVID-19. We identified
candidate targets, pharmacological functions, and therapeutic pathways of VA against SARS-
CoV-2. Bioinformatics findings indicate that the mechanisms of action of VA against SARS-CoV-
2 include enrichment of immunoreaction, inhibition of inflammatory reaction, and biological
processes related to reactive oxygen species. Furthermore, seven core targets of VA against
COVID-19, including MAPK1, IL10, EGFR, ICAM1, MAPK14, CAT, and PRKCB were identified. With
this bioinformatics-based report, we reveal, for the first time, the anti-SARS-CoV-2 functions and
mechanisms of VA and suggest that VA may act as a potent treatment option for COVID-19, a
deadly global epidemic.

Reference: https://www.worldometers.info/, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/