ABSTRACT
Stress during Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic affects the physiological and immunological response to women's reproductive health. Meanwhile, Apium graveolens and Eucalyptus globulus are immunomodulators related to women's reproductive health. This investigation had a goal to examine the effectiveness of A. graveolens and E. globulus towards the expression of Heat Shock Protein-70 (HSP70) as the primary biomarker of stress, Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha (TNF-alpha) as a pro-inflammatory protein, along with Luteinizing Hormone (LH) and Growth Differentiation Factor 9 (GDF-9) as folliculogenesis markers. An experimental randomized controlled trial was utilized by using a pre-test and post-test control group design. Sixty women, who had stress based on DASS-21 questionnaire, were divided into two groups in Nusukan Health Center, Indonesia. The intervention group was orally administered with 300 mg A. graveolens capsules and E. globulus essential oil for 14 days, while the control group was given a placebo. Blood samples and stress levels were then evaluated before and after the intervention. No significant difference was found in the stress levels of the control and treatment groups at the pre-test. Meanwhile, the intervention group had the decreased HSP70, TNF-alpha, and stress levels (p<0.001). In contrast, increased LH and GDF-9 levels were displayed in the intervention group compared to the control group (p<0.001). These findings revealed that A. graveolens supplementation and E. globulus essential oil have the ability to decrease stress and are able to protect folliculogenesis markers on women's reproductive health due to stressful conditions during pandemic COVID-19. Copyright © 2022 by Indonesian Journal of Pharmacy (IJP).
ABSTRACT
Stress during COVID-19 pandemic affects the physiological and immunological response to women's reproductive health. Meanwhile, A. graveolens and Eucalyptus globulus are immunomodulators related to women's reproductive health. This investigation had a goal to examine the effectiveness of A. graveolens and E. globulus towards the expression of Heat Shock Protein-70 (HSP70) as the primary biomarker of stress, Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha (TNF-alpha) as a pro-inflammatory protein, along with Luteinizing Hormone (LH) and Growth Differentiation Factor 9 (GDF-9) as folliculogenesis markers. An experimental randomized controlled trial was utilized by using a pre-test and post-test control group design. Sixty women, who had stress based on DASS-21 questionnaire, were divided into two groups in Nusukan Health Center, Indonesia. The intervention group was orally administered with 300 mg A. graveolens capsules and E. globulus essential oil for 14 days, while the control group was given a placebo. Blood samples and stress levels were then evaluated before and after the intervention. No significant difference was found in the stress levels of the control and treatment groups at the pre-test. Meanwhile, the intervention group had the decreased HSP70, TNF-alpha, and stress levels (p < 0.001). In contrast, increased LH and GDF-9 levels were displayed in the intervention group compared to the control group (p < 0.001). These findings revealed that A. graveolens supplementation and E. globulus essential oil have the ability to decrease stress and are able to protect folliculogenesis markers on women's reproductive health due to stressful conditions during pandemic COVID-19.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: To date, no specific therapeutic drug has been approved to target SARS-CoV-2. Hence, it remains a major challenge to decide what potential therapeutic regimens to treat COVID-19 patients. This study aims to investigate curcumin and virgin coconut oil (VCO) effects on cytokine levels (IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, IL-18, TNF-α, and IFN-β) in COVID-19 patients. Methods: This study was a single-center, controlled trial with a parallel Arm or a Randomized Clinical trial design. A total of sixty COVID-19 patients admitted to the Universitas Sebelas Maret Hospital, Surakarta, Indonesia, were divided into two groups. The first group, consisting of 30 patients, was treated with Azithromycin 500 mg + Oseltamivir 2×75 mg + Hydroxychloroquine 400 mg/day for 5 days. The second group, comprising 30 patients, was treated with Azithromycin 500 mg + Oseltamivir 2×75 mg + Hydroxychloroquine 400 mg/day for 5 days, added with VCO 30 mL and curcumin 3×1 g/day for 21 days. The cytokine profiles of the serum samples were analyzed by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) on days 1, 14, and 21. Results: Our study showed that the second group had a significant reduction in IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, TNF-α, and IFN-β levels after being treated with standard therapy added with curcumin and VCO on day 21 (p<0.05). Conclusion: These results su ested that curcumin and VCO mi ht benefit the treatment of COVID-19 atients