Effects of Cranberry on Outpatients with Mild to Moderate COVID-19 Infection

Abstract

COVID-19 disease is an acute viral infection illness of the airway system resulting from the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Cranberry is an evergreen group of dwarf shrubs of the Vaccinium Oxycoccus. The most important pharmacological effects of cranberry are related to its composition liking of quercetin, flavonols, and proanthocyanidins. cranberry had numerous pharmacological activities encompassing antioxidant, cardioprotective, antibacterial, anticancer, antiviral, and regulated glucose levels. This research aimed to estimate the potential activity of cranberry to enhance the efficacy of standard therapy for COVID-19 infection. A total of 30 patients with age ≥ 18 years suffering from mild to moderate COVID-19 pneumonia volunteered to do this study, allocated into two groups. The first group managed standard treatment only according to the National Institutes of Health, while the second group managed standard treatment plus cranberry 1000 mg capsule per day for 7 days. Each patient was assessed individually and follow up for 10 days. Cranberry significantly enhanced the effect of standard COVID – 19 therapies by rapidly relieving clinical symptoms of COVID – 19 infections and significantly lowered the count of WBC, CRP, D-Dimer, and ferritin in comparison with patients who only received STD therapy at P<0.05. In conclusion, Cranberry significantly improved STD therapy by reducing the inflammatory response and enhancing lung function via maintaining normal SPO2% level and relieving clinical symptoms of COVID-19 infection.