Can alpha-linolenic acid be a modulator of “cytokine storm,” oxidative stress and immune response in SARS-CoV-2 infection?

Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is a long-chain polyunsaturated essential fatty acid of the Ω3 series
found mainly in vegetables, especially in the fatty part of oilseeds, dried fruit, berries, and
legumes. It is very popular for its preventive use in several diseases: It seems to reduce the risk
of the onset or decrease some phenomena related to inflammation, oxidative stress, and
conditions of dysregulation of the immune response. Recent studies have confirmed these
unhealthy situations also in patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Different findings (in vitro, in vivo, and clinical ones), summarized and analyzed in this review,
have showed an important role of ALA in other various non-COVID physiological and
pathological situations against “cytokines storm,” chemokines secretion, oxidative stress, and
dysregulation of immune cells that are also involved in the infection of the 2019 novel
coronavirus. According to the effects of ALA against all the aforementioned situations (also
present in patients with a severe clinical picture of severe acute respiratory syndrome-(CoV-2) infection), there may be the biologic plausibility of a prophylactic effect of this compound against
COVID-19 symptoms and fatality.