Dinitrosyl Iron Complexes with Thiol-Containing Ligands Can Suppress Viral Infections as Donors of the Nitrosonium Cation (Hypothesis)

Abstract

The appropriateness of verification of the possible antiviral effect of dinitrosyl iron complexes with thiol-containing ligands as donors of nitrosonium cations (NO+) is argued. There is reason to hope that treatment of the human respiratory tract and lungs with sprayed solutions of dinitrosyl iron complexes with glutathione or N-acetylcysteine (NAC) ​​as NO+ donors during COVID-19 infection can initiate S-nitrosylation of cellular proteases and thereby suppress viral infection.