Ronald Rodriguez, MD, Ph.D., professor of medical education and urology at Joe R.
and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio), has discovered that the combination of valproic acid and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) may reduce the risk of contracting COVID-19 and lessen its severity, according to a study published in August. The research appears in the journal PLOS ONE . Valproic acid is a common anti-seizure medication, and DHA is a type of omega-3 fatty acid known to improve brain and heart health.
When the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020, Rodriguez received a kidney transplant , raising his own concerns about being at high risk for infection and its complications. Rather than sitting back at home, the urologist shifted his focus and investigated potential treatments for COVID-19. Rodriguez drew from his background in virology and gene therapy and explored an effective and accessible solution to fighting the virus.
Rodriguez's previous adenoviral gene therapy research in prostate cancer had led him to explore the antiviral potential of valproic acid . Approved by the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration, valproic acid showed promise in preventing the COVID virus from replicating, but initial doses proved potentially toxic. "A combination of a nutritional supplement and an anti-seizure drug in the right ratios with the right timing could be very profound in inhibiting the development of and replica.