Bovine Lactoferrin Inhibits Coronavirus at the Initial Viral Attachment Stage Among Suspects, Vulnerable, And Confirmed COVID-19 Cases: A Narrative Review

Lactoferrin is a serum milk protein that has been proven to have antimicrobial and antiviral activities. It is currently used to treat anemia as it can supplement iron. Many studies report that lactoferrin can prevent the virus from entering the target cell by binding to the receptors of the human cell or the antigen. Lactoferrin has been reported to enhance the human body’s immune response against viruses and bacteria. Lactoferrin binds to HSPGs (the coronavirus receptor-binding site), depending on the dose, thereby inhibiting virus entry into the cell via the cell membrane. Further studies have shown that lactoferrin is more effective in early viral infection than in later stages. In several in vitro studies, lactoferrin has been shown to reduce viral growth at a minimum dose of 10–30 µg. Additionally, in vivo research is necessary to discover the right amount of lactoferrin the human body needs to inhibit viral transmission and improve the immune response to various phases of infection.