Abstract

IN VITRO VIRUCIDAL ACTIVITY OF DABUR RED TOOTHPASTE, AN AYURVEDIC PREPARATION, AGAINST SARS-COV-2

Prasun Bandyopadhyay, Mitra Ranjan, Amit Sirdesai, Jyoti Singh, Namita Gupta, Jyoti Sree Unnithan*

Abstract

With the outbreak of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), importance of maintaining good oral health to prevent a severe course of the disease has been stressed. WHO has claimed that transmission of the disease primarily occurs through droplet spread and contact routes. This pose a high risk of cross infection between dental health care personnel and patients. Worldwide research has been conducted for treatment of COVID-19 especially using herbs/ medicinal plants. However, at present there is no specific treatment available for SARSCoV- 2 infection and other diseases such as respiratory diseases. Therefore, we investigated the virucidal potential of Dabur Red toothpaste, an ayurvedic preparation comprised of potent Ayurvedic herbs, preliminary verified towards coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. The efficacy was determined at 2 test concentrations by incubating the virus with the toothpaste for definite contact time (2 min). Subsequently, virus was neutralized and added to confluent layer of host VERO cells. Endpoint titers (50% cell culture infectious dose, CCID50) and the log reduction value (LRV) was compared with the negative control (LRV1 indicates virucidal activity). In conclusion, the data demonstrated that Dabur Red toothpaste possess potent virucidal activity against SARS-COV-2, with a Log reduction value (LRV) of >2 log (99% reduction).

Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, transmission, droplets, Dabur Red toothpaste, virucidal.