Mitigating the effects of bacterial superinfections due to a weakened physical condition and a strained immune system caused by viral infections

Endotoxins are components of the Gram negative bacteria.^G16

• They consist of a species specific lipopolysaccharide (LPS) moiety as well as conservative lipid A, which is the toxic portion of the molecule.
  • Millions of Gram negative bacteria live in mammals, which usually do not cause a health problem. In pathological cases, endotoxemia develops as a result of higher amounts of endotoxin entering the bloodstream, which can cause trauma and shock. This can happen when the bacterium is killed or starts to multiply, in which case the endotoxins are released from the bacterium and get into the body. Endotoxin (LPS) released by live or dead bacteria binds to the lipopolysaccharide binding protein (LPB) in the blood. The LPB LPS complex binds to macrophage CD14 receptors, a process that results in macrophage activation. Activated macrophages induce the formation of various molecules, primarily cytokines (e.g. IL 1, IL 6, TNF α, IFN g, etc.), which eventually enter the circulatory system and activate the immune system through various mechanisms. The body’s defence mechanism becomes overloaded due to an increase in the amount of endotoxin entering the bloodstream, the immune system “overreacts” to the danger, which can lead to tissue destruction, endotoxic shock, and ultimately death.
  • Sepsis is a common and increased risk factor for such conditions. Sepsis is when, by overcoming the defence mechanism, pathogenic bacteria spread from a purulent nucleus at different points in the body and, together with the endotoxins, enter the bloodstream and lead to the development of symptoms of sepsis.
  • All of the effects that damage the intestinal mucosa have been shown to reduce or prevent altogether the production of a peptide, cholecystokinin, in the absence of which the gallbladder cannot empty the bile into the intestine and, in its absence, endotoxins released from broken bacteria, and when introduced into the circulation, endotoxemia, in more severe cases, trigger shock. Under natural conditions, however, bile acids protect the body against endotoxins that are still present in the gut because they are broken down into non toxic parts. It has also been shown that this protection also protects all lipoid structured agents (such as enveloped large viruses). This system of protection based on the detergent effect of bile acids is physicochemical protection.