Potential Role of Vitamin B6 in Ameliorating the Severity of COVID-19 and Its Complications.

The word is currently experiencing a coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by a novel coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2). Coronaviruses and influenza are among the viruses that can cause lethal lung injuries and death from acute respiratory distress syndrome worldwide (1). Viral infections evoke a “cytokine storm,” leading to lung capillary endothelial cell inflammation, neutrophil infiltration, and increased oxidative stress (1, 2). Furthermore, cardiovascular and diabetic complications are emerging in COVID-19 patients (3–9). Currently, there is no registered treatment or vaccine for COVID-19, and an alternative solution to protect against COVID-19 is urgently needed. Vitamin B6 is a water-soluble vitamin found in various foods such as fish, whole grains, and banana (10). There are six isoforms of B6 vitamers (10). Among these, pyridoxal 5′-phosphate (PLP) is the most active form that acts as a coenzyme in various enzymatic reactions (10). There is growing evidence that vitamin B6 exerts a protective effect against chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and diabetes by suppressing inflammation, inflammasomes, oxidative stress, and carbonyl stress (11). Additionally, vitamin B6 deficiency is associated with lower immune function and higher susceptibility to viral infection (12, 13). In view of these information, we postulated potential role of vitamin B6 in ameliorating the severity of COVID-19 and its complications (Figure 1). In this article, we review precedent research to test this hypothesis. Open in a separate window Figure 1 Potential protective role of vitamin B6 in ameliorating the severity of COVID-19 and its complications such as hypertension, cardiovascular diseases and diabetic complications. Possible mechanisms of the amelioration may involve suppression of inflammation (cytokine storm), inflammasome, oxidative stress, and carbonyl stress, regulation of Ca2+ influx, elevation of carnosine (a cardioprotector), and immune function improvement.