Combination of Two Common Compounds Improves COVID Survival in Mice, UF Researchers Find

The combination of two over-the-counter compounds tested in mice significantly improved their chances of surviving the virus that causes COVID-19, University of Florida researchers have found.

The combination includes lactoferrin, a protein found in cow and human milk. When paired with diphenhydramine, an antihistamine used for allergy symptoms, the compounds also prompted a quick, major rebound in the surviving animals’ weight.

The findings are further proof of the dual-drug combination’s efficacy in inhibiting the lethal effects caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. In late 2021, researchers found similar potent effects during tests on monkey cells and human lung cells.

“We were very happily surprised that the two-drug combination extended the survival of the mice and even resulted in a complete recovery in one subset of mice,” said David A. Ostrov, Ph.D., an associate professor in the UF College of Medicine’s department of pathology, immunology and laboratory medicine. The findings were published recently in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences.

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