The role of thymic hormones in the treatment of COVID-19
A group of Chinese researchers retrospectively analyzed the clinical status of patients infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. In a study published in Clinical Infectious Diseases, they discovered a significant difference in mortality rates between patients treated with Thymosin Alpha 1 (Tα1) and those not treated with it, with mortality rates of 11% and 30%, respectively.
Among COVID-19 patients admitted to two hospitals in Wuhan, China, from December 2019 to March 2020, 76 severe cases hospitalized for at least 10 days were reviewed. Of these, 36 patients received subcutaneous injections of Tα1 for 7 or more consecutive days, while 40 did not receive the additional drug. At admission, there were no significant demographic or clinical differences between the two groups. The researchers used available data such as clinical records, laboratory tests, and test results.
Since no specific medication has been developed for SARS-CoV-2 infection, the only way to combat it is by increasing the number of T lymphocytes and enhancing their antiviral functions. The thymic polypeptide hormone Tα1 is known to regulate the production, differentiation, and activity of T lymphocytes, so it was chosen as an adjunct therapy in addition to regular antibacterial and antiviral treatment. The most interesting finding of the study was the difference in mortality: 4 out of 36 (11.11%) patients in the Tα1-treated group compared to 12 out of 40 (30%) in the non-treated group, suggesting the effectiveness of the additional therapy.
Another part of the study aimed to determine whether Tα1 affects the restoration of T lymphocyte counts. The conclusion was that such an effect occurs in patients with sufficiently low T cell counts or in elderly patients. This indicates that Tα1 may be particularly useful for treating COVID-19 cases with lymphopenia.
The scientific article also demonstrated that Tα1 therapy could counteract the depletion of T lymphocytes during SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Although the study has limitations such as its retrospective nature, small sample size, and lack of some clinical information from certain patients, it shows the potential to reduce immune system damage and enhance the body’s recovery during COVID-19.
We would like to note that the medicinal product TFX, which is a fraction of biologically active peptides isolated from calf thymuses, has immunomodulatory effects, substituting the functions of the thymus, which is essential for the proper functioning of the immune system. Long-term use of this preparation has shown beneficial effects on conditions associated with immune deficiencies. Positive clinical results were obtained, particularly in viral diseases (e.g., influenza). Studies have demonstrated the presence of Thymosin Alpha 1 and Thymosin Beta 4 in TFX, which, in light of the above article, play a significant role in therapy during SARS-CoV-2 infection.
The full article is available here: https://academic.oup.com/cid/article/71/16/2150/5842185.