Preprint / Version 1

Theoretical effectiveness of steam inhalation against SARS-CoV-2 infection: updates on clinical trials, mechanism of actions, and traditional approaches

Authors

  • Md Chowdhury aDepartment of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh
  • Yasin Alif aDepartment of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh
  • Safaet Alam bDepartment of Pharmacy, State University of Bangladesh, 77 Satmasjid Road, Dhanmondi, Dhaka 1205, Bangladesh
  • Nazim Emon cDepartment of Pharmacy, Faculty of Science and Engineering, International Islamic University Chittagong, Chittagong 4318, Bangladesh
  • Fahmida Richi aDepartment of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh
  • S Zihad bDepartment of Pharmacy, State University of Bangladesh, 77 Satmasjid Road, Dhanmondi, Dhaka 1205, Bangladesh
  • Md Taki cDepartment of Pharmacy, Faculty of Science and Engineering, International Islamic University Chittagong, Chittagong 4318, Bangladesh
  • Mohammad Rashid dDepartment of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh

Keywords:

SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19, Steam, Vapour, Inhalation therapy, Respiratory illness, Clinical study

Abstract

Steam inhalation therapy can be a contemporary approach for COVID-19 affected patients of all age groups to manage respiratory conditions, though it presently lacks the scientific backing to establish itself as a befitting practice. The age of COVID-19 has facilitated this traditional home remedy to resurface among the general mass as a helpful approach for the prevention and adjuvant treatment of the disease. In this review, the means of SARS-CoV-2 infection and impact of the parameters, namely steam inhalation and heat on such infection has been delineated via enumerating the effect of the parameters in the human body and against SARS-CoV-2. The literature search was conducted using PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Wiley Online Library, Google Scholar, and CNKI Scholar databases. The keywords used in the survey include ‘Steam inhalation’, ‘SARS-CoV-2’, ‘COVID-19’, ‘Clinical study’, ‘Mechanism of action’, ‘Traditional uses’, ‘Phytochemistry’ and ‘Adverse effects’. Clinical studies concerning steam inhalation by COVID-19 patients have been comprehended to demarcate the scientific obscurity of the practice. The safety profile of the procedure has also been outlined emphasizing evading measures against COVID-19 and other related disease states. To recapitulate, application of the steam inhalation with herbal concoctions and phytochemicals having folkloric prevalence as an inhalable remedy against respiratory illnesses has been explored in this review work to focus on a new aspect in the COVID-19 treatment paradigm using steam and progress of further research hither. Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19, Steam, Vapour, Inhalation therapy, Respiratory illness, Clinical study

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