Assessment of the Impact of the Egyvir on Rats Experimental Animals, a Preclinical Study for Sars-Cov-2 Treatment

Background: The SARS-COV-2 is a worldwide pandemic problem. We developed a herbal extract with potent in-vitro virucidal, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects called EGIVIR. Our aim is to assess the bioavailability and cytotoxicity of EGYVIR on different organs and biological systems in Sprague Dawley rats as a model of experimental animals.Methods: 128 rats were divided into 16 groups (8 rats each), where Egyvir was assessed in oral doses of 20, 30, and 40 mg/kg body weight, and by inhalation in 0.2, 0.3, and 0.4 mg/kg body weight, four times/day, compared to the control groups.Results: The Egyvir had no significant effect on the blood pressure, pulse, motor activity, histological, hematological, and coagulation profiles. Also, the blood levels of triglycerides, cholesterol, blood glucose, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and creatine phosphor kinase (CPK) were not significantly affected. Egyvir had no harmful effect on the kidney and liver functions, blood electrolytes levels and urinary levels of sodium, potassium, and chloride. There was no significant effect on the serum levels of interleukin-113 (IL -113), IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). Additionally, there was no significant change in the levels of Superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, reduced glutathione (GSH), and malonaldehyde (MDA) in comparison to the control groups (P<0.05).Conclusion: Egyvir is considered a safe antiviral natural drug. It could be used for the treatment of SARS-COV-2 without any adverse effects when used with the recommended doses. However, these data are a preliminary step for validation in a clinical setting.

Improving the Dissolution Rate and the Bioavailability of Favipiravir by Solid Dispersion with Curcumin

Favipiravir is an anti-viral agent that inhibits RNA-dependent RNA polymerase of several RNA viruses and is approved for the treatment of influenza in Japan. It has a role as an antiviral drug, an anti-coronaviral (COVID-19) agent but the poor solubility of the favipiravir in the aqueous media of the human body cause a reduction in the effectiveness and bioavailability. In the current work, the favipiravir was formulated for the first time as solid dispersed system with curcumin to improve dissolution property and antiviral activity during treatment of Covid-19. Binary and ternary mix of favipiravir and curcumin with/without soluplus were prepared and characterized by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Powder X-ray Diffractometry (PXRD) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spec-troscopy (FTIR) and subjected to the dissolution test by apparatus I according to the European Pharma-copeia. The antiviral activity was measured by its cytotoxicity against A549-hACE2 cells. The results re-vealed that there was a reduction in the crystallinity of both binary and ternary mixtures with an en-hancement of the dissolution in comparison with the pure drug which accompanied by an improvement in the antiviral activity which is promising results that need further .Copyright © 2023, Colegio de Farmaceuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. All rights reserved.

Systematic computer analysis of the pharmacology of bioflavonoids in the context of increasing the body's antiviral defenses.

Background. The rapidly developing resistance of viruses to synthetic antiviral drugs indicates the need to use substances with multitarget action (to avoid polypharmacy and to improve the safety of treatment). Objective(s): systematic analysis of the scientific literature on the pharmacology of bioflavonoids with an emphasis on their antiviral action. Material and methods. More than 150,000 references of primary sources were found in the PubMed/MEDLINE database of biomedical publications, including 3282 references on the antiviral effects of bioflavonoids. A systematic computerized analysis of this array of publications was carried out in order to identify the main directions in the pharmacology of bioflavonoids with an emphasis on their antiviral, antibacterial and immunomodulatory effects. The literature analysis was carried out using modern methods of topological and metric analysis of big data. Results. The molecular mechanisms of action of baicalin, hesperidin, rutin, quercetin, leukodelphinidin bioflavonoids and epigallocatechin-3gallate, curcumin polyphenols, their anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiviral, bactericidal, angioprotective, regenerative effects, and their prospects in therapy, prevention and rehabilitation of patients with COVID-19 and other respiratory viral infections were described in detail. Conclusion. Bioflavonoids and synergistic polyphenols exhibit not only multitarget antiviral effects by inhibiting the main protease, spike proteins, and other target proteins, but also pronounced anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, and immunomodulatory effects.Copyright © 2023 Modern Medical Technology. All rights reserved.

Phytochemical constitution and antioxidant activity of functional herbal drink from Indian gooseberry (Emblica officinalis Gaertn.) fruits containing spices and condiments

Functional beverages originate primarily from fruits and vegetables sources, but also include those from other plants such as tea, coffee, cocoa, soybean as well as animal products like milk and dairy-based and alcoholic drinks. They have definite medical or health benefits which include prevention or delaying the progress of diseases. Indian gooseberry is a very rich source of vitamin C and phenolics, two potent antioxidant compounds. Similarly curcumin in turmeric, piperine in black pepper and gingerol in ginger have proven antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Incidence of covid-19 pandemic has raised awareness among people the importance of maintaining higher levels of immunity. A study was undertaken at Kerala Agricultural University during 2020–21 to develop an herbal functional drink from Indian gooseberry fruit juice incorporated with turmeric and black pepper powders, ginger juice extract and juice of acid lime fruits. The herbal drink formulated with these ingredients was homogenized at an operating pressure of 175 Bar with a speed of 235 SPM and was subsequently pasteurized at 100 0 C for 10 minutes in glass bottles, followed by storage under refrigerated conditions at 5 ± 2 0 C for 3 months. The initial ascorbic acid, total phenolics, total flavonoids, total carotenoids and total curcumin contents were 61.0 mg100g− 1, 184.0 mg100g− 1, 153.0 mg100g− 1, 119.98 mg100g− 1 and 31.0 mg100g− 1, respectively. Antioxidant activity of the herbal drink was determined by three assays, viz. ABTS, DDPH and FRAP. The initial IC 50 values of the herbal drink by ABTS, DPPH and FRAP assays were 8.64, 0.212 and 0.368 μgml− 1, respectively. Significant decline in ascorbic acid, total flavonoids, total carotenoids and curcumin content were recorded in the product during storage in contrast to the total phenolics content which showed a significant rise over the storage period. Antioxidant activity of the herbal drink determined by all the three assays also declined significantly throughout the storage period. The results indicate that the product can be promoted as a healthy drink which has to be stored at low temperature in order to retain higher levels of antioxidant compounds and antioxidant activity. Graphical : [Figure not available: see fulltext.] © 2023, The Author(s).

19th Seminar on Tropical Pathology and Public Health 12th Biotechnology Week 1st Physical Therapy Week, Virtual, 23-25 November 2022

These proceedings comprise 85 articles spanning diverse fields such as bacteriology, molecular biology, biotechnology, dermatology, infectious and parasitic diseases, epidemiology, physiotherapy, immunology, mycology, parasitology, pathology, collective health, and virology. The articles delve into a wide range of research topics, from repurposing drugs for Mycobacterium abscessus complex infections to utilising artificial intelligence for SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis. In bacteriology, investigations explore the correlation between smoking and Helicobacter pylori infection in gastric adenocarcinoma patients, as well as the resistance profiles of Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in tracheostomised children. Molecular biology studies focus on gene polymorphisms related to diseases like paracoccidioidomycosis. Biotechnology research emphasises bioactive molecules in species like Croton urucurana and the development of computational models for cytotoxicity prediction. Dermatology articles address stability characterisation in vegetable oil-based nanoemulsions. The section on infectious and parasitic diseases encompasses studies on COVID-19 vaccine response in pregnant women and the impact of infection prevention measures in rehabilitation hospitals. Epidemiology investigations analyse trends in premature mortality, tuberculosis in diabetic patients, and public adherence to non-pharmacological COVID-19 measures. Physiotherapy research covers topics such as telerehabilitation through a developed game and the prevalence of congenital anomalies. Immunology studies explore immune responses in HIV and Leishmaniasis, whilst mycology investigates the biotechnological potential of fungi from the cerrado biome. Parasitology research evaluates treatment efficacy against vectors parasites such as Aedes aegypti and Toxoplasma gondii. Pathology articles discuss intentional intoxication in cattle and the influence of curcumin on acute kidney injury therapy. Collective health studies focus on intervention plan development in healthcare settings and pesticide use in horticulture. Lastly, virology research investigates parvovirus occurrence in hospitalised children during the COVID-19 pandemic, hidden hepatitis B virus infection in inmates, and the prevalence of HPV and HTLV-1/2 infections in specific populations.

Simulation of optimal dose regimens of photoactivated curcumin for antimicrobial resistance pneumonia in COVID-19 patients: A modeling approach.

Background: Secondary antimicrobial resistance bacterial (AMR) pneumonia could lead to an increase in mortality in COVID-19 patients, particularly of geriatric patients with underlying diseases. The comedication of current medicines for AMR pneumonia with corticosteroids may lead to suboptimal treatment or toxicities due to drug-drug interactions (DDIs). Objective: This study aimed to propose new promising dosage regimens of photoactivated curcumin when co-administered with corticosteroids for the treatment of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) pneumonia in COVID-19 patients. Methods: A whole-body physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) with the simplified lung compartments model was built and verified following standard model verification (absolute average-folding error or AAFEs). The pharmacokinetic properties of photoactivated were assumed to be similar to curcumin due to minor changes in physiochemical properties of compound by photoactivation. The acceptable AAFEs values were within 2-fold. The verified model was used to simulate new regimens for different formulations of photoactivated curcumin. Results: The AAFEs was 1.12-fold. Original formulation (120 mg once-daily dose) or new intramuscular nano-formulation (100 mg with a release rate of 10/h given every 7 days) is suitable for outpatients with MRSA pneumonia to improve patient adherence. New intravenous formulation (2000 mg twice-daily doses) is for hospitalized patients with both MRSA and VRSA pneumonia. Conclusion: The PBPK models, in conjunction with MIC and applied physiological changes in COVID-19 patients, is a potential tool to predict optimal dosage regimens of photoactivated curcumin for the treatment of co-infected AMR pneumonia in COVID-19 patients. Each formulation is appropriate for different patient conditions and pathogens.

Exploiting the potential of natural polyphenols as antivirals against monkeypox envelope protein F13 using machine learning and all-atoms MD simulations.

The re-emergence of monkeypox (MPX), in the era of COVID-19 pandemic is a new global menace. Regardless of its leniency, there are chances of MPX expediting severe health deterioration. The role of envelope protein, F13 as a critical component for production of extracellular viral particles makes it a crucial drug target. Polyphenols, exhibiting antiviral properties have been acclaimed as an effective alternative to the traditional treatment methods for management of viral diseases. To facilitate the development of potent MPX specific therapeutics, herein, we have employed state-of-the-art machine learning techniques to predict a highly accurate 3-dimensional structure of F13 as well as identify binding hotspots on the protein surface. Additionally, we have effectuated high-throughput virtual screening methodology on 57 potent natural polyphenols having antiviral activities followed by all-atoms molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, to substantiate the mode of interaction of F13 protein and polyphenol complexes. The structure-based virtual screening based on Glide SP, XP and MM/GBSA scores enables the selection of six potent polyphenols having higher binding affinity towards F13. Non-bonded contact analysis, of pre- and post- MD complexes propound the critical role of Glu143, Asp134, Asn345, Ser321 and Tyr320 residues in polyphenol recognition, which is well supported by per-residue decomposition analysis. Close-observation of the structural ensembles from MD suggests that the binding groove of F13 is mostly hydrophobic in nature. Taken together, this structure-based analysis from our study provides a lead on Myricetin, and Demethoxycurcumin, which may act as potent inhibitors of F13. In conclusion, our study provides new insights into the molecular recognition and dynamics of F13-polyphenol bound states, offering new promises for development of antivirals to combat monkeypox. However, further in vitro and in vivo experiments are necessary to validate these results.

Combining nano-curcumin with catechin improves COVID-19-infected patient's inflammatory conditions.

AIMS: A hyperinflammatory condition is brought on by the development of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which is characterized by an elevation of T helper (Th) 17 cells, high levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and a depletion of regulatory T (Treg) cells. METHODS: In this research, we examined the effect of nano-curcumin and catechin on the TCD4+, TCD8+, Th17, and Treg cells and their associated factors in COVID-19 patients. For this purpose, 160 (50 patients excluded during the study) COVID-19 patients were divided into four groups: placebo, nano-curcumin, catechin, and nano-curcumin + catechin. The frequency of TCD4+, TCD8+, Th17, and Treg cells, the gene expression of transcription factors (STAT3, RORt, and FoxP3) relevant to Th17 and Treg, as well as the serum levels of cytokines (IL-6, IL17, IL1-b, IL-10, and TGF-), were all evaluated intra- and inter-group, before and after treatment, in all groups. RESULTS: Our study showed that TCD4 + and TCD8 + cells were significantly higher in the nano-curcumin + catechin group compared to the control group, whereas Th17 was lower than the initial value. Furthermore, compared to the placebo-received group, cytokines and transcription factors associated with Th17 were significantly lower in the nano-curcumin + catechin group. Additionally, combined therapy increased Treg cells and transcription factors compared to the placebo group. CONCLUSION: Overall, our results show that combining nano-curcumin with catechin has a more notable impact on the enhancement of TCD4+, TCD8+, and Treg cells, as well as a decrease in Th17 cells and their mediators, suggesting a promising combination therapy in reducing the inflammatory conditions of COVID-19 infected patients.

The role of quercetin and curcumin in the treatment of COVID-19 infection: potential for combination of natural compounds

SARS-CoV-2 was originally discovered in China in late 2019 and is a member of the family of enveloped, single-strand RNA viruses known as Betacorona-virus in the Coronaviridae. Since then, it has spread throughout the entire world, generating the COVID-19 epidemic, which has a high infectivity and mortality rate. Nowadays, remdesivir and a few other neutralizing antibodies have been used extensively to treat COVID-19, and other medications are now being found to have anti-coronavirus properties both in vitro and in vivo. Remdesivir's therapeutic outcomes are debatable, though, and the world still needs new antiviral medications imminently. Quercetin and curcumin, both natural compounds derived from plants, may be an option for patients with COVID-19 as a kind of treatment. Molecular docking indicates the great ability of treating COVID-19, and the combination in use may be allowed based on similar mechanisms for treating SARS-CoV-2. This review aims to summarize the role of quercetin and curcumin acting as anti-coronavirus agents, point out the lack of clinical trials of their combined use, and emphasize the use of natural compounds in treating COVID-19. © 2023 SPIE.

Analysis of antioxidant and hedonic acceptance of turmeric extract-enriched milk

Since COVID-19 pandemic, there was an increasing of people adopting a healthy lifestyle through health supplement and functional foods. This study aimed to develop turmeric milk which has high antioxidant activity that can be accepted by the community. The difference in the concentration of turmeric powder added (0.9%, 1.9%, and 2.8%) was carried out to determine the antioxidant activity by DPPH method and the curcumin level by HPLC method. Hedonic tests were used to evaluate the effect of turmeric powder into consumer acceptance. Results showed that the addition of turmeric is lowering the hedonic value. Turmeric milk with 2.8% turmeric powder had the highest levels of curcumin (53.95 mg/260 mL) and antioxidant activity (90.51%) but had the lowest acceptance rate (4.02) while turmeric milk with 0.9% of turmeric powder) had the lowest levels of curcumin (25.28 mg/260 mL) and antioxidant activity (81.76%) but had the highest acceptance rate (4.97). Turmeric milk with 1.9% was the most favourable due to overall value in the hedonic test is 4.58 and antioxidant activity of 86.61%.

Antiviral activitiy of curcumin, demethoxycurcumin, bisdemethoxycurcumin and cyclocurcumin compounds of Curcuma longa against NSP3 on SARS-CoV-2

SARS-CoV-2 genome encodes two large polyproteins (pp), pp1a and pp1ab which are cleaved and transformed into a mature form by a protease, non-structural protein 3 (NSP3). NSP3 is encoded by open reading frame (ORF) 1a/b. Curcuma longa (C. longa) or turmeric has been documented to have antiviral effects. The aim of this study was to assess the viral activities of C. longa against SARS-CoV-2 focusing on its potency to inhibit viral replication by targeting NSP3. PubChem databases were used to obtain the metabolic profile of C. longa. The compound's interaction with nucleocapsid was analyzed using molecular docking with Molegro Virtual Docker. Bioinformatics analysis based on rerank score presents all compounds of C. longa have higher binding affinity than the native ligand with cyclocurcumin as the lowest score (-128.38 kcal/mol). This anti-viral activity was hypothesized from the similarity of hydrogen bonds with amino acid residues Ser 128 and Asn 40 as key residues present in Ribavirin. This study reveals that C. longa is the potential to be developed as an antiviral agent through replication inhibition in SARS-CoV-2 targeting its replication mediated by NSP3.

Combination Chemotherapy with Selected Polyphenols in Preclinical and Clinical Studies-An Update Overview.

This review article describes studies published over the past five years on the combination of polyphenols, which are the most studied in the field of anticancer effects (curcumin, quercetin, resveratrol, epigallocatechin gallate, and apigenin) and chemotherapeutics such as cisplatin, 5-fluorouracil, oxaliplatin, paclitaxel, etc. According to WHO data, research has been limited to five cancers with the highest morbidity rate (lung, colorectal, liver, gastric, and breast cancer). A systematic review of articles published in the past five years (from January 2018 to January 2023) was carried out with the help of all Web of Science databases and the available base of clinical studies. Based on the preclinical studies presented in this review, polyphenols can enhance drug efficacy and reduce chemoresistance through different molecular mechanisms. Considering the large number of studies, curcumin could be a molecule in future chemotherapy cocktails. One of the main problems in clinical research is related to the limited bioavailability of most polyphenols. The design of a new co-delivery system for drugs and polyphenols is essential for future clinical research. Some polyphenols work in synergy with chemotherapeutic drugs, but some polyphenols can act antagonistically, so caution is always required.

Multifunctional pH-responsive nanogel for malaria and cancer treatment: Hitting two targets with one arrow

Malaria and cancer have been considered deadly diseases around the world. Cancer and malaria both have high incidence rates despite numerous research efforts to develop effective strategies for mitigating the burden of these two distinct ailments. Herein, pH-responsive nanogel based on methacrylic acid-functionalized with bovine serum albumin (PMAA-BSA) with an average diameter of similar to 75 nm was fabricated for smart delivery of chloro-quine (CQ). These nanoplatforms exhibited high drug loading efficacy (26.42%). Also it displayed a higher CQ release rate (92.03%) under simulated acidic microenvironment of the digestive vacuole (DV) and tumor tissue whereas 40.01% CQ was released under a neutral physiological environment. More importantly, this unique pH -responsive nanogel lowered the IC50 of CQ by approximately 2.8-fold and 1.9-fold in MCF-7 cells at 24 and 48 h, respectively. Interestingly, blank PMAA-BSA nanogels displayed anti-plasmodial activity and no one to the best of our knowledge has developed a drug vehicle with inherent antimalarial features. PMAA-BSA-CQ through its synergistic effects exhibited great anti-plasmodial activity under both in vitro and in vivo conditions. Furthermore, PMAA-BSA-CQ fully eradicate the parasites in Plasmodium berghei infected mice and prolonged their survival rate. In conclusion, such pH-responsive nanogel with targeting ability and non-toxicity could be used as a very promising nanoplatform for intracellular and tumor trigger release of antimalarial/anti-cancer drugs.

Synthesis and studies of new purines/pyrimidine derivatives as multi-targeted agents involving various receptor sites in the immune system.

Pro-inflammation, which is developed due to the increased production of cytokines, mainly interleukin-6 (IL-6), during the working of immune system pathways, becomes a major concern these days for many researchers. So, it is desired to design, screen, and synthesize new molecules with multi-parametric features showing their efficacy for Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and inhibiting the disease-causing receptor sites like viral infections, cancers, etc. along with controlling inflammation, fever, and other side effects during such pathways. Further, looking at the literature, curcumin a multi-targeted agent is showing its efficiency toward various receptor sites involved in many diseases as mentioned above. This fascinated us to build up new molecules which behave like curcumin with minimum side effects. In silico studies, involving ADMET studies, toxicological data, and docking analyses, of newly synthesized compounds (3-5) along with tautomers of curcumin i.e., (1-2), and some reported compounds like 9 and 10 have been studied in detail. Great emphasis has been made on analyzing binding energies, protein-ligand structural interactions, stabilization of newly synthesized molecules against various selected receptor sites using such computational tools. Compound 3 is the most efficient multifunctional agent, which has shown its potential toward most of the receptor sites in docking analysis. It has also responded well in Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation toward 5ZLN, 4RJ3, 4YO9, 4YOJ, and 1I1R sites. Finally, studies were extended to understand in vitro anti-inflammatory activity for particularly compound 3 in comparison to diclofenac and curcumin, which signifies the efficiency of compound 3.

6-Shogaol and 10-Shogaol Synergize Curcumin in Ameliorating Proinflammatory Mediators via the Modulation of TLR4/TRAF6/MAPK and NFκB Translocation.

Extensive research supported the therapeutic potential of curcumin, a naturally occurring compound, as a promising cytokinesuppressive anti-inflammatory drug. This study aimed to investigate the synergistic anti-inflammatory and anti-cytokine activities by combining 6-shogaol and 10-shogaol to curcumin, and associated mechanisms in modulating lipopolysaccharides and interferon-É£-induced proinflammatory signaling pathways. Our results showed that the combination of 6-shogaol-10-shogaolcurcumin synergistically reduced the production of nitric oxide, inducible nitric oxide synthase, tumor necrosis factor and interlukin-6 in lipopolysaccharides and interferon-γ-induced RAW 264.7 and THP-1 cells assessed by the combination index model. 6-shogaol-10-shogaol-curcumin also showed greater inhibition of cytokine profiling compared to that of 6-shogaol-10-shogaol or curcumin alone. The synergistic anti-inflammatory activity was associated with supressed NFκB translocation and downregulated TLR4-TRAF6-MAPK signaling pathway. In addition, SC also inhibited microRNA-155 expression which may be relevant to the inhibited NFκB translocation. Although 6-shogaol-10-shogaol-curcumin synergistically increased Nrf2 activity, the anti-inflammatory mechanism appeared to be independent from the induction of Nrf2. 6-shogaol-10-shogaol-curcumin provides a more potent therapeutic agent than curcumin alone in synergistically inhibiting lipopolysaccharides and interferon-γ induced proinflammatory mediators and cytokine array in macrophages. The action was mediated by the downregulation of TLR4/TRAF6/MAPK pathway and NFκB translocation.

Challenging Case in Clinical Practice: Multimodal Management of Concurrent Structural and Virally Exacerbated Trigeminal Neuralgia

Introduction: Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is among the most painful disorders of the orofacial region. Although TN has many possible etiologies, such as nerve compression, recently published evidence suggests that TN, or its exacerbations, may be the result of viral infections in the head and neck. This case presents clinical findings from a TN patient experiencing virally-induced exacerbations treated with intravenous (IV) magnesium sulfate and oral anti-inflammatories who was previously non-responsive to first-line pharmaceuticals. Methods: AM is a 51-year-old cis-female with a four-year history of TN caused by vascular encroachment of the trigeminal nerve and exacerbated by episodes of viral sinusitis and COVID-19. AM presented to the National University of Natural Medicine clinic in May 2019 and again in April 2022. After screening for contraindications, she was started on an IV Myer's push with an elevated dose of magnesium sulfate and oral anti-inflammatories: curcumin and omega-3. Results: Since her second presentation to our clinic in April 2022, the patient has undergone 11 treatments and reports significant benefit in pain and quality of life. Despite the initial MRI revealing vascular encroachment on her trigeminal nerve she experienced benefit from her treatment regimen and denied a neurosurgical consultation and repeat MRI. Conclusion: This study contributes to a growing body of literature suggesting that cranial neuralgias may be exacerbated by orofacial or upper-respiratory viral infections and that TN specifically may be well managed with IV nutrient therapy and oral anti-inflammatories. Given the paucity of successful treatment strategies, exploring cost-effective treatments with low side effect profiles is a worthwhile approach to improving clinical outcomes in patients with TN.

Curcumin from Curcuma longa L. as Dual Inhibitors Against Indonesian SARS-CoV-2 Isolates: A Molecular Docking Study

COVID-19 has become a global pandemic since 2020. The search for promising drugs based on the abundant herbal ingredients in Indonesia is one of the breakthroughs. Curcumin is a chemical compound with various potentials such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antiviral. We conducted a molecular docking analysis to determine the potential of curcumin against SARS-CoV-2 non-structural and structural proteins, such as the main protease and spike protein. This study used the compound of curcumin (PubChem CID: 969516) from Curcuma longa L. or turmeric and two Indonesian SARS-CoV-2 isolates that have been deposited in the GISAID database (hCoV-19/Indonesia/JI-PNF-217315/2021 - EPI_ ISL_12777089 or lineage B.1.617.2 and hCoV-19/Indonesia/JI-PNF-211373/2021 - EPI_ISL_6425649 or lineage B.1.470). In addition, we used molnupiravir (PubChem CID: 145996610) as a drug control. We performed molecular docking analysis with PyRx software 0.9.9 (academic license) and visualization of molecular docking results with PyMOL software 2.5.4 (academic license). The results of this study found that curcumin had good potential against main protease and spike protein compared to the drug (control). In summary, we suggested that curcumin is a potential drug candidate against SARS-CoV-2. However, there is a need for future wet laboratory-based pre-clinical research such as in vitro and in vivo.Copyright © 2023 Phcogj.Com.

Antiviral effect of curcumin: A special emphasis on COVID-19 virus

Plant derived biomolecules are said to possess various pharmacological actions. Curcumin obtained from rhizomes of Curcuma longa, is the primary bioactive molecule which exhibits antiviral, antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic and anti-fatigue effects. Recent studies reveal that curcumin also shows antiviral activity against many viruses such as dengue, hepatitis, zika, chikungunya, etc. Few research studies revealed that curcumin has binding potential to target a variety of SARSCov- 2 proteins. This chapter covers antiviral activity of curcumin with special focus on its role in inhibiting COVID-19 virus. These findings will be utilized to develop therapeutic lead using curcumin against COVID-19. © 2023 Nova Science Publishers, Inc.

Promising clinical outcomes of nano-curcumin treatment as an adjunct therapy in hospitalized COVID-19 patients: A randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial.

Different immunomodulation strategies have been used to manage COVID-19 due to the complex immune-inflammatory processes involved in the pathogenesis of this infection. Curcumin with its powerful anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties could serve as a possible COVID-19 therapy. In this study, a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial was performed to investigate the effectiveness and safety of nano-curcumin oral soft gels as a complementary therapy in moderate-severe COVID-19 patients. Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) plus sofosbuvir was routinely administered to all 42 COVID-19 patients, who were randomly assigned to receive 140 mg of nano-curcumin or placebo for 14 days. CT scans of the chest were taken, and blood tests were run for all patients at time points of 0, 7, and 14 days. Our results indicated that C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) levels significantly decreased from baseline in the nano-curcumin-treated group on day 7. Furthermore, blood levels of D-dimer, CRP, serum ferritin, ESR, and inflammatory cytokines including IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10 decreased more significantly in the nano-curcumin-treated group after 14 days. Additionally, the nano-curcumin group showed significant improvements in chest CT scores, oxygen saturation levels, and hospitalization duration. Based on our data, oral administration of nano-curcumin may be regarded as a promising adjunct treatment for COVID-19 patients due to its ability to speed up chest clearance and recovery.

The Impact of Curcumin on Immune Response: An Immunomodulatory Strategy to Treat Sepsis.

Primary and secondary immunodeficiencies cause an alteration in the immune response which can increase the rate of infectious diseases and worsened prognoses. They can also alter the immune response, thus, making the infection even worse. Curcumin is the most biologically active component of the turmeric root and appears to be an antimicrobial agent. Curcumin cooperates with various cells such as macrophages, dendritic cells, B, T, and natural killer cells to modify the body's defence capacity. Curcumin also inhibits inflammatory responses by suppressing different metabolic pathways, reduces the production of inflammatory cytokines, and increases the expression of anti-inflammatory cytokines. Curcumin may also affect oxidative stress and the non-coding genetic material. This review analyses the relationships between immunodeficiency and the onset of infectious diseases and discusses the effects of curcumin and its derivatives on the immune response. In addition, we analyse some of the preclinical and clinical studies that support its possible use in prophylaxis or in the treatment of infectious diseases. Lastly, we examine how nanotechnologies can enhance the clinical use of curcumin.