Cetylpyridinium chloride promotes disaggregation of SARS-CoV-2 virus-like particles

Manuel Bañó-Polo; Luis Martínez-Gil; Manuel M Sánchez Del Pino; Alberto Massoli; Ismael Mingarro; Rubén Léon; Maria Jesus Garcia-Murria

doi:10.1080/20002297.2022.2030094

Cetylpyridinium chloride promotes disaggregation of SARS-CoV-2 virus-like particles

J Oral Microbiol. 2022 Jan 24;14(1):2030094. doi: 10.1080/20002297.2022.2030094. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Manuel Bañó-Polo¹, Luis Martínez-Gil², Manuel M Sánchez Del Pino², Alberto Massoli¹, Ismael Mingarro², Rubén Léon¹, Maria Jesus Garcia-Murria²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Microbiology. Dentaid Research Center, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain.
² Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (BIOTECMED), University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.

Abstract

Background: SARS-CoV-2 is continuously disseminating worldwide. The development of strategies to break transmission is mandatory.

Aim of the study: To investigate the potential of cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) as a viral inhibitor.

Methods: SARS-CoV-2 Virus Like-Particles (VLPs) were incubated with CPC, a potent surfactant routinely included in mouthwash preparations.

Results: Concentrations of 0.05% CPC (w/v) commonly used in mouthwash preparations are sufficient to promote the rupture of SARS-CoV-2 VLP membranes.

Conclusion: Including CPC in mouthwashes could be a prophylactic strategy to keep SARS-CoV-2 from spreading.

Keywords: SARS-CoV-2; cetylpyridinium chloride; membrane disaggregation; virology; virus-like particles.

Grants and funding

This work was supported by grants from the Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (PTQ2019- 010608), from Generalitat Valenciana (PROMETEU/2019/065), from Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (PID2020-119111GB-I00) and from Instituto de Salud Carlos III (COV20/01265)