Ivermectin vs Quercetin vs Hydroxychloroquine: What's the Difference? (2023 Edition)
As of May 2023, there are more than 3,000 studies published related to the treatment and prevention of COVID-19.
If you are still confused about the recommendations made by different professional groups for the COVID-19 pandemic, you've come to the right place.
The number of options for the treatment of COVID-19 has increased drastically in recent months, thus making it complicated when it comes to choosing the right combination. In general, there are 3 broad categories of medical interventions:
- Prevention or Prophylaxis e.g. vaccine
- Early out-patient treatment
- Hospital treatment
All these treatments come with various technologies and jargons, thus could be overwhelming and confusing for you as a consumer. Generally, multiple treatments and strategies are used in combination to achieve the best possible outcome.
The medical community themselves are battling over ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine on whether they should be used to treat and prevent COVID-19. On one side are experts telling you that more research is needed before the treatment can be fully authorised and confirmed. On the other, are experts telling you that the potential benefits outweigh the risk and a 'wait and do nothing' position is not acceptable. Confused?
How do you deal with different expert groups dishing out conflicting guides? A common issue is that certain groups have pre-defined narrative that they would like to support. Therefore, only studies that support that pre-defined narrative are picked and cited as references. This is what we call as 'cherry-picking'. Cherry picking will naturally lead to a 'biased' and 'manipulated' decision. In order to get the truth out, scientific information needs to be analysed in a comprehensive, updated and non-biased manner.
In this article, we would like to cover 3 popular treatments i.e. Ivermectin, Hydroxychloroquine and Quercetin.
Ivermectin and COVID-19
Ivermectin is an anti-parasitic medication widely used in low- and
middle-income countries to treat parasitic worm infections in adults and
children. It’s been used for decades for this purpose by over 3.7
billion people, and is considered safe and effective. It has an
increasing list of indications due to its antiviral and
anti-inflammatory properties, and is included on the WHO’s Model List of
Essential Medicines.
As of May 2023, there are more than 90 studies on ivermectin and
COVID-19. Check out the evidence tracker on ivermectin and COVID-19
from c19ivermectin.com (constantly updated).
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Is ivermectin a zinc ionophore? Although there are many articles stating it is but most articles do
not provide scientific references to support the claim. We have found
studies that showed that ivermectin has a probable ionophore nature:
- Ivermectin, antiviral properties and COVID-19: a possible new mechanism of action (Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol. 2020).
- The multitargeted drug ivermectin: from an anti-parasitic agent to a repositioned cancer drug (Am J Cancer Res. 2018)
Ivermectin and FLCCC protocols
The Front Line COVID-19 Critical Care (FLCCC) Alliance was initially
formed as a working group during the early COVID-19 pandemic days in
response to multiple early reports of COVID patients with an
inexplicably high need for prolonged mechanical ventilation and an
excessive death rate.
Based on rapidly emerging clinical trials evidence, the FLCCC team has developed several protocols:
Based on rapidly emerging clinical trials evidence, the FLCCC team has developed several protocols:
Concerns and Cautions:
- Ivermectin has a number of potentially serious drug-drug interactions. Please check for potential drug interaction at Ivermectin Drug Interactions - Drugs.com. The most important drug interactions occur with cyclosporin, tacrolimus, anti-retroviral drugs, and certain anti-fungal drugs.
- Quercetin and ivermectin interactions? According to Drugs.com: "No interactions were found between ivermectin and Quercetin. This does not necessarily mean no interactions exist. Always consult your healthcare provider."
- Ivermectin is also lipophilic and therefore, bioavailability is maximised on a full stomach; or best to be taken with meal.
Ivermectin for COVID-19: Real-time meta analysis
Check out the real time meta-analysis on Ivermectin and COVID-19
from Ivmmeta.com (constantly updated).
Related:
Hydroxychloroquine
Historically, hydroxychloroquine was discovered during efforts to
synthesize alternatives to quinine as anti-malarials. Is quinine similar
to hydroxychloroquine? Hydroxychloroquine and quinine are both
anti-malarial drugs. However, hydroxychloroquine is not the same as
quinine as hydroxychloroquine is a synthetic drug while quinine is a
naturally occurring compound found in cinchona bark.
Quinine, was first recognized as a potent antimalarial agent hundreds of
years ago. Since then, the beneficial effects of quinine and its more
advanced synthetic forms, chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, have been
increasingly recognized in a myriad of other diseases in addition to
malaria.
Is quercetin same as quinine? No. Quercetin is a phytonutrient whereas quinine is a naturally occurring compound found in
cinchona bark and was used as an antimalarial agent. However, both
quercetin and quinine are known to have zinc ionophore properties i.e.
they transport zinc into the cells.
Hydroxychloroquine, developed in the 1950s from chloroquine, an old anti-malarial drug, is registered in around 60 countries under trade names such as Plaquenil, Quensyl and Plaquinol.
Hydroxychloroquine, developed in the 1950s from chloroquine, an old anti-malarial drug, is registered in around 60 countries under trade names such as Plaquenil, Quensyl and Plaquinol.
Hydroxychloroquine, a less toxic derivative of Chloroquine is a widely used medication by people with lupus or
arthritis.
Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) is not effective when used very late with
high dosages over a long period (RECOVERY/SOLIDARITY), effectiveness
improves with earlier usage and improved dosing. Early treatment
consistently shows positive effects. Negative evaluations typically
ignore treatment time, often focusing on a subset of late stage
studies.
As of May 2023, there are more than 350 published evidence of
hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19 (c19hcq.org).
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Based on the database on C19Early.com (as of May 2023)
below:
- quercetin performs better than hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin for prevention but
- ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine are superior than quercetin in terms of early treatment
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Prevention league table: Quercetin (93%) vs Ivermectin (85%) vs Hydroxychloroquine (34%) |
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Early Treatment League Table: Hydroxychloroquine (62%) vs Ivermectin (62%) vs Quercetin (32%) |
The evidence tracking on Hydroxychloroquine versus COVID-19 is available
at c19hcq.com (constantly updated).
Do you need a prescription for hydroxychloroquine?
Yes, hydroxychloroquine is a prescription drug and you do need it to be
prescribed to you by a doctor.
Related: Find a Doctor who will prescribe Hydroxychloroquine
Related: Find a Doctor who will prescribe Hydroxychloroquine
Quercetin and COVID-19
Are there supplements similar to hydroxychloroquine? Quercetin acts as a zinc ionophore (PubMed 2014), the same mechanism of action that hydroxychloroquine has via helping zinc pass the cell wall where it might halt viral replication.
This zinc ionophore activity of quercetin facilitates the transport of
zinc across the cell membrane. It is known that zinc will slow down the
replication of coronavirus through inhibition of enzyme RNA polymerase (PubMed 2010). The COVID-19 is an RNA (RiboNucleicAcid) virus and requires the RNA polymerase to replicate. Do take note that the study publication was a 2010
publication and is referring to a different coronavirus as compared to the
latest coronavirus (COVID-19); though both are from the same family of
coronaviruses.
A review published in The Sage Journal (Dec 2020), summarizes the antiviral significance of quercetin and proposes a
possible strategy for the effective utilization of natural polyphenols in
our daily diet for the prevention of viral infection.
An animal study published in the Nature (Aug 2012), concluded that quercetin has anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory
and anti-fibrotic (anti-scarring) properties. Another
study (JCI May 2012) on rutin (quercetin molecule bound to a sugar molecule called
rutinose), commonly found in fruits and vegetables and sold over the
counter as a dietary supplement, has been shown to inhibit the formation of blood clots in an animal model of thrombosis.
As of May 2023, there have been 10 published studies of quercetin
against COVID-19. For the list of studies, check out c19quercetin.com.
Caution: Quercetin has one moderate drug interaction with warfarin. Do not take quercetin without medical advice if you are using
warfarin.
Ivermectin vs Hydroxychloroquine vs Quercetin
Clinical evidence to date has reported promising results (see above) for Ivermectin in prevention, early treatment as well as late treatment for COVID-19. While both Ivermectin and Hydroxychloroquine might be useful for early treatment, Ivermectin has a broader potential benefit i.e. prevention, early treatment as well as late treatment / hospital treatment. An important to note is that both ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine perform better when given early (within first 3 - 5 days of symptoms) as opposed to late treatment.Hydroxychloroquine and Quercetin are both zinc ionophores i.e. they transport zinc into the cells.
However, quercetin is less potent than HCQ (hydroxychloroquine) as a zinc transporter, and it does not reach high concentrations in lung cells that HCQ does. Quercetin may help reduce risk of viral illness if you are basically healthy. But it is not potent enough to replace HCQ for treatment of COVID once you have symptoms, and it does not adequately get into lung tissue.
That said, if you simply cannot get hydroxychloroquine or ivermectin, quercetin is a viable stand-in. Quercetin works best when taken with vitamin C and Bromelain, as vitamin C helps activate it and bromelain helps with the absorption. Do not forget to combine it with zinc.
Is quercetin a safer alternative to hydroxychloroquine? Although ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine are relatively safe drugs,
they are still synthetic chemicals that can have side effects. Quercetin
and Vitamin D, C, Zinc are nutrients that your body require for optimal
health. Nutrients are safer alternatives especially if your risk is low
e.g. age below 50 and no other chronic illness.
Other alternatives such as Betadine mouthwash and Betadine nasal spray are over the counter products that you could get easily from your
nearest pharmacy. Importantly, you need to start the treatment early.
There's a big difference in terms of outcome depending on how early your
treatment is.
Discuss with your doctor on the benefit vs risk for each treatment. If you
are on multiple medications, be aware of supplement-drug interactions that
might enhance the possibilities of adverse effects.
Hydroxychloroquine, Ivermectin, Quercetin and FLCCC Protocols
Hydroxychloroquine, ivermectin and quercetin are all part of the
latest FLCCC I-PREVENT and I-CARE early treatment protocols.
Other Early Treatment Options
For an up-to-date overview of all published studies on early treatment and
prevention of COVID-19, we recommend visiting C19Early.
Summary
Although ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine are relatively safe drugs, they are still synthetic chemicals that can have side effects. Quercetin is a phytonutrient that will benefit your body for optimal health.
For a list of proven benefits of quercetin (by category), check out benefits of quercetin.
For a list of proven benefits of quercetin (by category), check out benefits of quercetin.
Nutrients are safer alternatives especially if your risk is low e.g. age
below 50 and no other chronic illness. Discuss with your doctor on the
benefit vs risk for each treatment. If you are on multiple medications, be
aware of supplement-drug interactions that might enhance the possibilities
of adverse effects.
The important key takeaway is 'early' treatment. That said you should never
attempt to self medicate without the guidance of a licensed medical
provider. If you are not a medical doctor, you are likely to find the above
information overwhelming. The aim of this article is to empower you with a
better understanding of the options available and to discuss the options
with your medical doctor.
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Z-Stack Supplement
In an effort to make it easier for patients, Dr Zelenko has developed an oral supplement that contains all four key ingredients: vitamin C, quercetin, vitamin D3 and zinc. It’s referred to as 'Z-Stack Supplement'.
Z-Stack Vitamin cocktail provides key ingredients needed in order to help your body fight off this deadly invader. The Z-Stack Vitamins are Kosher certified, GMP certified and made in the USA.
The cost of the Z-STACK vitamin cocktail is $55 per bottle for
a one month supply.
Where to buy Z-Stack: Z-stack is available
on Dr Zelenko's website. Here is the link: Z Stack Supplement
Note: To get 5% OFF, please use this coupon code: drfrancis
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