Researchers have found that catalase, a naturally occurring enzyme, holds potential as a low-cost therapeutic drug to treat Covid-19 symptoms and suppress the replication of coronavirus inside the body. Catalase is produced naturally and used by humans, animals and plants. Inside cells, the antioxidant enzyme kick starts the breakdown of hydrogen peroxide, which can be toxic, into water and oxygen.

According to the study, published in the journal Advanced Materials, the enzyme is also commonly used worldwide in food production and as a dietary supplement. "There is a lot of focus on vaccines and antiviral drugs, and rightly so," said study senior author Yunfeng Lu from the University of California Los Angeles in the US.