Role of Vitamin D in prevention of Corona virus infection (COVID-19)

Abstract

Corona viruses enveloped positive-sense RNA viruses causes various diseases in mammals as well as birds which range from upper respiratory tract infection to potentially lethal human respiratory syndrome. In humans, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome corona virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causing corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) which shows symptoms like fever, sore throat, gasping and ultimately pneumonia, lung injury and leading to death. The virus acts on various systems of our body, and one of them is the Renin-Angiotensin system. It is supposed that the virus causes cell injury by acting on Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptors which causes an increase in the level of Angiotensin II, leading to inflammation and lung injury. An essential vitamin can prevent this in our body that is vitamin D. It acts on Renin-Angiotensin system (RAS) by inhibiting the action of renin and also by increasing production of ACE2 and hence Angiotensin II level decreases which prevent inflammation and lung injury. So vitamin D has a remarkable and pivotal role in modulation of the immune system of our body and hence protects human from this fatal disease.