The antimalarial drug candidate for coronavirus has long been introduced as a 'game-changer' in treating COVID-19 patients. However, in recent studies, contrasting results have been seen in patients. Some claim to have improved their condition with the help of the drug, while others blame the cure for the adverse reactions it brings.

A new study from New York suggests that the drug may yield better results when used in combination with the dietary supplement, zinc. Researchers from the NYU Grossman School of Medicine placed a medical preprint on their site on Monday. Their paper is yet to be peer-reviewed.

In the study, half of 900 COVID-19 patients were given the triple-drug combo of hydroxychloroquine, zinc, and azithromycin. The other half were given only hydroxychloroquine and the antibiotic, azithromycin.

The results of the study revealed that the patients who received the triple-drug combo had a 1.5 times greater probability of getting better from the disease. They were also more likely to eventually be discharged from the hospital compared to those who were only given the double-drug combination.

The researchers note that the triple-drug combo, however, did not change the average time the patients stayed hospitalized, which was about six days. It also didn't change the average duration severely ill patients spent hooked on the ventilator, which was five days.

The drug combinations, additionally, didn't change the total amount of oxygen required by patients experiencing respiratory symptoms. Joseph Rahimian, a senior investigator and infectious disease specialist, said that it was the first study ever to examine the two combinations in contrast to each other. Furthermore, he cautioned that a controlled experiment would still be necessary to prove the benefits beyond doubt.

Rahimian said that their next approach would be to do a prospective study to see if the research holds up in people receiving zinc. Hydroxychloroquine has been proven effective in lab settings, but not in people.

The drug is said to interfere with the virus' ability to enter the body's cells and also blocks the virus' ability to replicate once they are already inside.

Is Zinc the Missing Link?

Zinc itself has antiviral properties. Previous studies have suggested that it could reduce the time people suffer from common colds.

Zinc has an interesting story behind it. It wasn't until the 1970s that it was acknowledged as an essential mineral for human health. Thanks to the work of Dr. Ananda Prasad, a 91-year-old doctor who had a hunch about the capabilities of zinc years ago. His instinct, later on, led to a better understanding of zinc's role in immunity.

His discovery was fueled when he studied a group of young men in Egypt who remained underdeveloped in many ways, particularly in height. Prasad gave them zinc supplements, and afterward, the men grew significantly taller.

According to Rahimian, zinc could do the heavy lifting when combined with hydroxychloroquine in treating COVID-19 patients. He adds that it could be the primary element attacking the virus. He also suggested that hydroxychloroquine could serve as an agent that transports the zinc into the cells. It could also increase the effectiveness of zinc, he says.