hypertonic saturated saline

**Hypertonic saturated saline** is a topical oral-rinse formulation of sodium chloride in water at saturation, producing a highly hypertonic solution. It was evaluated in an investigator-sponsored, randomized blinded Phase 2 study as a 30-minute mouth rinse without gargling for people with COVID-19, with the intended purpose of reducing upper respiratory or nasopharyngeal SARS-CoV-2 viral load and related symptoms. Its proposed activity is local and physicochemical rather than receptor-mediated: high sodium chloride concentration creates marked osmotic and ionic conditions that were hypothesized to reduce viral burden in the oral and nasopharyngeal cavity. The registered study NCT04842721 was withdrawn, and this formulation is not an established or approved COVID-19 treatment. ([clinicaltrials.gov](https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04842721))

Other names

hypertonic saturated sodium chloride solution