CCI Cleanse
for Long Covid
Long Covid Summary
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In Long Covid, viral persistence, novel autoimmunity, reactivated viruses, and/or immune cell exhaustion push the body into a debilitating and sometimes progressive state of chronic illness. The body assumes the worst and produces fast fuel from pyruvate and lactic acid for exhausted immune cells. Prolonged amino gluconeogenesis desensitizes metabolic pathways to glucose and/or insulin and feeds unwanted bacteria, neoplasms, and mycoflora in the process. CD8+ T cell exhaustion, peripheral blood mononuclear cell dysfunction, and fungal translocation lead to a wide array of debilitating patient-specific symptoms.
More information below.
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Dr. Michael Moran’s CCI Cleanse combines versatile herbs like Rhodiola for its neuroprotective and mitoprotective properties with Psoralea fruit for its polymerase inhibiting and hematopoietic properties. The formula incorporates a wide array of essential minerals for mitochondrial support and probiotics that multitask as binders and anti-rheumatics. Dr. Michael has thoughtfully selected each ingredient after years of studying Long Covid in order to support as many patients in as many ways as possible.
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Mechanisms of Action
ANTIVIRALS
“CCI” stands for Complex Chronic Illness. There are multiple antivirals in the formula: Psoralea(polymerase inhibitor), Berberine(neuraminidase inhibitor) which has an IC50 half that of Paxlovid, and Ashwagandha(MPro inhibitor). Other ingredients such as Ginseng also have indirect antiviral properties.
EXPECTORANTS
Forsythia can inhibit mast cell mediated inflammatory events more potently than Ketotifen. In combination with Fritillaria and Polygala, Forsythia drives out Phlegm from the chest, one of the primary obstructive causes of Long Covid and ME. Note that Berberine and Taurine are also mast cell stabilizers.
LUMBROKINASE
Lumbrokinase, unlike prescription fibrinolytics, does not cause excessive bleeding and treats reservoirs in clots and immune privileged sites. Lumbrokinase drives out Blood Stasis from the chest and elsewhere, one of the primary obstructive causes of Long Covid and ME.
TAURINE / BERBERINE / INOSITOL
Taurine functions somewhat like a mineral within the body and mitochondria while strengthening organelle membranes. Taurine is antiarrhythmic and cardioprotective. Berberine activates AMPK, increases ATP output by at least 20%, reduces lactic acid production, inhibits amino gluconeogenesis, and kills sulfur producing bacteria in the gut. Berberine and Taurine reduce reactive oxygen species by increasing catalase, glutathione and superoxide dismutase. Berberine, Inositol and Taurine improve glucose metabolism while inhibiting or reversing mitochondrial fragmentation. Berberine and Taurine are mast cell stabilizers, potently neuroprotective, and protect metabolic tissue from oxidative stress.
CARDIO TONICS
Almost every ingredient in the formula supports Heart health. Those which support Heart function are Taurine, Astragalus, Ginseng, Ophiopogonos, Cinnamon, and Hawthorne. Taurine, Ginseng, Cinnamon, and Hawthorne gently increase Heart contractility(reduced EF is common in Long Covid and ME). Astragalus and Ophiopogonos help repair and strengthen the Heart while mitigating tachycardias and arrhythmias.
PROBIOTICS
Bacillus Coagulans regulates INF-y TNF-a and IL-6 to temper immune exhaustion from the gut.
GABANERGICS
Polygala, Ashwagandha support GABA function in order to promote relaxation, restful sleep, cleanup and repair of brain and nerve tissue.
CHOLINERGICS
Huperzine A, Berberine, and Ashwagandha all increase acetylcholine and/or cholinergic activity to improve memory and cognition.
Concerns and Hopes​
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Cures, in a broad sense, do not exist nor are they what marketing companies claim them to be. "Cures" enable aspects of capitalist and eugenic culture designed to make money only to leave others behind as seen in the global response to COVID-19.
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More and more research is warning of progressive neurodegenerative disease after COVID-19. If you haven't already, consider applying for disability subsidies in your country if you qualify and/or if your ability to provide for yourself has changed or become unpredictable because of COVID-19.
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Metabolic / Mitochondrial / Redox Imbalance:
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↓arginine, ↑ornithine/citrulline ratio
(↑ammonia, ↑lactate, ↓NO)
(Redox State Imbalance, ↓NAD+)
(Warburg Effect)
↑amino/hepatic gluconeogenisis
(glucose resistance, dysregulated glucose-alanine cycle, →muscle breakdown)
HHV / EBV / HERV-W Activation:
↑kynurenic acid ↑syncytin-1 ↑DUX4 ↑fibronectin (↑clotting, ↑neoplasms)
All underlined text above links to correlating citations.
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*Metabolome findings based on https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.05.03.23289456v1.full.pdf
López-Hernández, Yamilé, et al. “The Plasma Metabolome of Long COVID-19 Patients Two Years after Infection.” medRxiv, 1 Jan. 2023, www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.05.03.23289456v1
Davis, Hannah E., et al. “Long Covid: Major Findings, Mechanisms and Recommendations.” Nature News, 13 Jan. 2023, www.nature.com/articles/s41579-022-00846-2
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Babalghith, Ahmad O., et al. “The Role of Berberine in Covid-19: Potential Adjunct Therapy - Inflammopharmacology.” SpringerLink, 2 Oct. 2022, link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10787-022-01080-1
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Schaffer, Stephen, and Ha Won Kim. “Effects and Mechanisms of Taurine as a Therapeutic Agent.” Biomolecules & Therapeutics, 1
May 2018, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5933890/
Schaffer, Stephen W., et al. “Differences between Physiological and Pharmacological Actions of Taurine.” Advances in Experimental edicine and Biology, July 2022, link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-93337-1_30
Seidel, Huebbe, and Rimbach. “Taurine: A Regulator of Cellular Redox Homeostasis and Skeletal Muscle Function.” Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, August 2019, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30211983/
Jong, Sandal, and Schaffer. “The Role of Taurine in Mitochondria Health: More than Just an Antioxidant.” Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), August 2021, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34443494/
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Michalk, Wingenfeld, et al. “The Mechanisms of Taurine Mediated Protection against Cell Damage Induced by Hypoxia and Reoxygenation.” Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8915359/. Accessed 21 May 2023.
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Anis, and Zaky. "Glutamine and Taurine: No Longer Supplementary Nutrients." Journal of Anaesthesiology, January 2013, www.researchgate.net/publication/343323133_Glutamine_and_taurine_no_longer_supplementary_nutrients
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Zhang, Pengcheng, et al. “Berberine Inhibits Growth of Liver Cancer Cells by Suppressing Glutamine Uptake.” OncoTargets and Therapy, 31 Dec. 2019, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6978679/
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Walter, Fruzsina R., et al. “Blood–Brain Barrier Dysfunction in L-Ornithine Induced Acute Pancreatitis in Rats and the Direct Effect of L-Ornithine on Cultured Brain Endothelial Cells - Fluids and Barriers of the CNS.” BioMed Central, 17 Feb. 2022, fluidsbarrierscns.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12987-022-00308-0
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Ou, Xiaofeng, et al. “Cognitive Impairments Induced by Severe Acute Pancreatitis Are Attenuated by Berberine Treatment in Rats.” Molecular Medicine Reports, 1 Sept. 2018, www.spandidos-publications.com/10.3892/mmr.2018.9313
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Li, Jie, et al. “Berberine Inhibits the Warburg Effect through Tet3/Mir-145/HK2 Pathways in Ovarian Cancer Cells.” Journal of Cancer, 1 Jan. 2021, www.jcancer.org/v12p0207.htm
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Almani, Suhail Ahmed, et al. “Berberine Protects against Metformin-Associated Lactic Acidosis in Induced Diabetes Mellitus.” Iranian Journal of Basic Medical Sciences, May 2017, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5478779/
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Aiyun Li a, et al. “Berberine Reduces Pyruvate-Driven Hepatic Glucose Production by Limiting Mitochondrial Import of Pyruvate through Mitochondrial Pyruvate Carrier 1.” EBioMedicine, 6 Aug. 2018, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352396418302858
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Guo, Wei, et al. “Glutamic-Pyruvic Transaminase 1 Facilitates Alternative Fuels for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Growth-a Small Molecule Inhibitor, Berberine.” MDPI, 9 July 2020, www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/12/7/1854
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Ishikura, Keisuke, et al. “Effect of Taurine Supplementation on the Alterations in Amino Acid Content in Skeletal Muscle with Exercise in Rat.” Journal of Sports Science & Medicine, 1 June 2011, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3761861/
Sun, Runbin, et al. “The Hypoglycemic Effect of Berberine and Berberrubine Involves Modulation of Intestinal Farnesoid X Receptor Signaling Pathway and Inhibition of Hepatic Gluconeogenesis.” Drug Metabolism & Disposition, 1 Mar. 2021, dmd.aspetjournals.org/content/49/3/276.abstract
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Yu, Y., et al. “Berberine Improves Cognitive Deficiency and Muscular Dysfunction via Activation of the AMPK/SIRT1/PGC-1A Pathway in Skeletal Muscle from Naturally Aging Rats - The Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging.” SpringerLink, 6 Mar. 2018, link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12603-018-1015-7
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Kosalec, Ivan, et al. “The Spectrum of Berberine Antibacterial and Antifungal Activities.” SpringerLink, 3 Feb. 2022, link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-83504-0_7
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Li, Jiaojiao, Pin Meng, et al. “Effect of Berberine Hydrochloride on the Diversity of Intestinal Flora in Parkinson’s Disease Patients.” Contrast Media & Molecular Imaging, 30 May 2022, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9170458
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Duszka, Kalina. “Versatile Triad Alliance: Bile Acid, Taurine and Microbiota.” MDPI, 29 July 2022, www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/11/15/2337
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Fu, Ni, Wang, Fu, and Hong. “Berberine Suppresses Mast Cell-Mediated Allergic Responses via Regulating FcÉ›ri-Mediated and MAPK Signaling.” International Immunopharmacology, March 2019, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30861392/
McCarty, Mark F, et al. “Nutraceutical Aid for Allergies - Strategies for down-Regulating Mast Cell Degranulation.” Journal of Asthma and Allergy, 27 Oct. 2021, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8558634/
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Tanikawa, Kiba, Yu, et al. “Degradative Effect of Nattokinase on Spike Protein of SARS-COV-2.” Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), August 2022, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36080170/
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Bhat, Mujtaba Aamir, et al. “Expedition into Taurine Biology: Structural Insights and Therapeutic Perspective of Taurine in Neurodegenerative Diseases.” Biomolecules, 5 June 2020, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7355587/
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Tavaf, Soltanmohammadi, et al. "Berberine promotes immunological outcomes and decreases neuroinflammation in the experimental model of multiple sclerosis through the expansion of Treg and Th2 cells." - Wiley Online Library, January 2023, onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/iid3.766
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Warowicka, Alicja, et al. “Antiviral Activity of Berberine.” Archives of Virology, Sept. 2020, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7320912/
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Šudomová, Miroslava, et al. “Berberine in Human Oncogenic Herpesvirus Infections and Their Linked Cancers.” Viruses, 28 May 2021, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8229678/
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Wang, Kening, et al. “Glutamine Supplementation Suppresses Herpes Simplex Virus Reactivation.” The Journal of Clinical Investigation, 30 June 2017, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5490748/
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Huang, Kaipeng, et al. “Berberine Reduces Fibronectin Expression by Suppressing the S1P-S1P2 Receptor Pathway in Experimental Diabetic Nephropathy Models.” PLOS ONE, journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0043874
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Ciszewski, Lu-Nguyen, Slater, et al. “G-Quadruplex Ligands Mediate Downregulation of DUX4 Expression.” Nucleic Acids Research, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32182342/
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Ma, Shu-Rong, et al. “Berberine Treats Atherosclerosis via a Vitamine-like Effect down-Regulating Choline-TMA-TMAO Production Pathway in Gut Microbiota.” Nature News, 7 July 2022, www.nature.com/articles/s41392-022-01027-6
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Zheng, Zhihua, et al. “Identification of Berberine as a Potential Therapeutic Strategy for Kidney Clear Cell Carcinoma and COVID-19 Based on Analysis of Large-Scale Datasets.” Frontiers in Immunology, 23 Mar. 2023, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10076552/
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Yuhan Zhang, et al. “Berberine for Bone Regeneration: Therapeutic Potential and Molecular Mechanisms.” Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 29 May 2021, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0378874121004761#:~:text=Berberine%20promotes%20osteogenesis,mineralization%20to%20promote%20bone%20formation
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Zhu, Xiaofei, et al. “The Mitohormetic Response as Part of the Cytoprotection Mechanism of Berberine - Molecular Medicine.” BioMed Central, 23 Jan. 2020, molmed.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s10020-020-0136-8
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