Natural virus protection Lemon juice has a good action against noroviruses

Citric acid to reduce the infectivity of norovirus?
Nature holds surprisingly simple antidotes for many pathogens. Researchers from the University of Heidelberg, the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and the University of New South Wales, Australia, have now discovered that citric acid can significantly reduce the ability of norovirus to infect. In further studies, the researchers now want to check "whether citric acid can relieve symptoms even if Norovirus infection has already occurred," reports the DKFZ. The researchers have published the results of their study in the journal "Virology".

According to the scientists, the citric acid binds exactly to that part of the virus envelope that comes into contact with the human body cells during the infection process. Thus, the highly infectious noroviruses could be prevented from infecting human cells. Lemon juice would therefore be a natural disinfectant for noroviruses. In addition, the investigations have suggested that citric acid makes viruses more susceptible to antibody attacks, says the research team led by Grant Hansman, head of the C.H.S. Young Investigators Group Noroviren at the DKFZ and the University of Heidelberg.

The juice of lemons could be suitable as a disinfectant against noroviruses. (Image: alexlukin / fotolia.com)

Safe and harmless disinfectant
Noroviruses are often the cause of sudden gastrointestinal symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. The pathogens are the "predominant cause of gastroenteritis outbreaks in hospitals or schools or on cruise ships," reports the DKFZ. The extremely contagious virus is transmitted via the faecal-oral route or via contaminated hands or contaminated food. "Therefore, it is important to have a safe and safe disinfectant", emphasizes Grant Hansmann.

Reduced infectivity of noroviruses
Previous research has already shown that "fruit extracts, such as orange or pomegranate juice, can reduce the ability of norovirus to infect," reports the DKFZ. When Grant Hansman was still researching the National Institutes of Health in the United States, he had noticed by chance that "the citrate from the chemicals trade can bind to the capsule proteins of Norovirus." The virologist continued to investigate this finding with his colleagues in Heidelberg , where the researchers for their experiments not intact pathogens, but empty virus protein capsules, so-called "virus-like particles" used. These have the same surface properties as real viruses.

Lemon juice as infection protection
Upon contact with citrate from lemon juice or from citrate-containing disinfectants, the virus protein capsules changed shape and X-ray analysis revealed that the citric acid docked onto the so-called "blood group antigens", those portions that contact the body cells during the infection process. According to the researchers, these findings could explain why citrate reduces the infectivity of noroviruses. Maybe "yes, the few drops of lemon juice, which is usually trickled on an oyster, a good infection control," said Hansman. The amount of citrate in the juice of a lemon could already be sufficient according to virologists, for example, to decontaminate the hands. In view of the also noted increased accessibility of the antibodies for antibodies after contact with the citric acid, the scientists also plan further investigations to check whether citric acid can also be used for the treatment of Norovirus infection already occurred. (Fp)