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The product aims to reinforce the nasal and oral mucous membranes to waterproof them, in order to reduce or prevent the penetration of the coronavirus.
Researchers from the Institute of Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia of the Higher Council for Scientific Research (IQAC-CSIC) are working on an aerosol that reinforces the nasal and oral mucous membranes to waterproof them, with the aim of reducing or preventing the penetration of COVID.
According to the IQAC and the CSIC, the study has the goal of developing aerosols with lipids similar to those of the skin, which emulate its impermeability when applied to the mucous membranes and thus reduce virus infections.
The coronavirus infiltrates mainly through the nasal and oral mucosa, but has low penetration through the skin.
"The waterproof properties of skin lipids can reinforce the mucous membranes, increase the barrier effect and reduce or prevent the penetration of the virus," explained Maria Luisa Coderch Negra, a researcher at IQAC and the CSIC who leads the study.
The spray will not provide complete protection but will complement the use of masks and partially prevent possible infection.
After optimizing the most appropriate methodologies to evaluate the permeability of the mucous membranes, the researchers will apply different aerosols based on compounds similar to those of the skin on nasal and oral mucous membranes to verify their impermeability to water.
The penetration capacity of a model similar to the coronavirus through the mucous membranes protected with the new aerosol will then be analyzed.
"There is now a large market to prevent the penetration of SARS-CoV-2 and also other viruses. In addition, related formulations can be applied to prevent the penetration of toxins or contaminants," commented Dr. Coderch.
