In a pathophysiologic state due to SARS-CoV-2, viscosity and cholesterol are two-edged swords.

Much attention has been paid to the genetic composition and molecular biology of viral particles, infection, and micro-anatomical impacts that culminate in fatalities; vaccines have been in continuous development and production; less attention is paid to the fundamental issues of thermodynamics and activation energy characterization of viral RNA replication and cell death. The study aimed at deriving equations that can be fitted to both theoretically and empirically derived data for the quantitation of other thermodynamic parameters and its cognate dimensionless equilibrium constant; some of the derived equations addressed the issue of viscosity and the concentration of cholesterol in particular as they affect translational velocity needed for the delivery of biomolecules to the site of need. The instantaneous velocities before terminal velocity are: [~] 0.046674 m/s (cytosol); 0.141837 m/s (water). The terminal velocities were approximately equal to 3.548614 nm/s for the cytosol and 99.590626 nm/s for the water; these values were computed using literature values of translational diffusion coefficients (Di) of glucose in cytoplasm and in water. The value in water is higher than in the cytosol because of higher cytosolic viscosity than aqueous viscosity. These support the view that cholesterol and viscosity have a dual-edged effect on the pathophysiologic state orchestrated by SARS-CoV-2; higher viscosities in the membrane and in the cytoplasm enhance binding and infection and can diminish the progress of infection, respectively. Higher feasibility and rates were observed at lower thermodynamic temperatures than at higher ones, according to the outcome of the analysis of the viral binding free energy and activation energy, respectively. The dimensionless constant values were higher at the earlier time of the infection and decreased with time, exhibiting a power law relationship. It is advised, among others, that pharmaceuticals (including airborne surfactants) and drugs in solution be given at temperatures above body temperature. Swab testing should be performed on a regular basis to detect significant infections early. Future in vitro and in vivo studies on viral infection might focus on various time periods at different temperatures, above and below body temperature. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=127 SRC="FIGDIR/small/638432v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (26K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1262294org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@a836a0org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@19a5f6forg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1ef86c6_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG With vaccine and/or drug the viral infection can regress; without treatment there could be infection and progression into disease state; discontinuation of treatment can cause a reinfection.