In a recent study published in the journal PLOS ONE , researchers from the United States of America investigated the antiviral effects of valproic acid (VPA), alone and in combination with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), against infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). They found that VPA, especially when combined with DHA, reduced SARS-CoV-2 infection rates and severity and potentially activated intracellular antiviral mechanisms by modifying gene expression. Background Initially used as an inert excipient, VPA was discovered in the 1960s to have antiseizure properties.
It is now used for treating seizure disorders, bipolar disorder, and migraines. It has a known toxicity profile, including a three-fold increased risk of congenital disabilities, likely due to its histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibition, making it contraindicated in pregnant women. VPA's HDAC inhibitory activity is also being explored for cancer therapy and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) treatment.
Additionally, VPA has antiviral activity against various viruses, including DNA (short for deoxyribonucleic acid), RNA (short for ribonucleic acid), and enveloped viruses. Efforts to repurpose drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by SARS-CoV-2, have identified VPA as a potential candidate due to its interaction with the virus's nsp5 protease. However, previous in vitro viral replication assays did not demonstrate a.