A quercetin ingredient marketed by Indena as Quercefit was linked to immune support benefits in early-stage COVID-19 in a group of 100 patients who completed a study published in Frontiers in Pharmacology.
 
Quercefit, which is sourced from Sophora japonica L., uses a delivery system branded as Phytosome Delivery, which has been evidenced to enhance the bioavailability of quercetin by up to 20 times with dose linearity. Quercetin is the most abundant polyphenol in fruits and vegetables, and has been researched for its potential role in oxidative stress, inflammation, and immunity.
 
Study Results
 
In the study, subjects were randomized to receive either a placebo or the quercetin ingredient from the onset of testing positive for COVID-19, in combination with standard care.
 
According to an array of tests from outpatient physicians, quercetin use resulted in milder COVID-19 symptoms and improved the rate of testing positive to testing negative.
 
After one week of treatment, 34 patients tested negative for COVID-19, compared to 12 in the control group. 26 patients, compared to 12 in the control group, had their COVID-19 associated acute symptoms resolved.
 
Quercetin supplementation was also significantly linked to a faster reduction in serum LDH, a biomarker which suggests systemic inflammation.
 
While larger studies are needed, the authors concluded that there is a possible therapeutic role of quercetin supplementation in the early stages of mild to moderate symptomatic COVID-19. “The present study also supports the safety of quercetin supplementation in patients with COVID-19 which has an unpredictable and complex course and hence may be used as an adjuvant alongside routine care in the management of mild to moderate symptoms of COVID-19,” they concluded.
 
“We keep devoting resources to clinical research with the aim to get stronger and stronger scientific evidence about Indena’s ingredients,” said Stefano Togni, chief commercial officer of Indena S.p.A. “We’re very happy and proud to see such results from our Quercefit and to give our contribution in helping people’s health, which has had to face one of the most serious pandemics in recent years.”