Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge as a Potential Natural Compound against COVID-19.

Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge, commonly called danshen, is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine for its cardiovascular and neuroprotective effects, which include antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and antifibrotic properties. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the preclinical potential of S. miltiorrhiza extracts for the treatment of COVID-19. First, the impact of the extract on the binding between SARS-CoV-2 and the cellular ACE2 receptors was assessed using atomic force microscopy (AFM), showing a significant reduction in binding by the extract at concentrations in the µg/mL range. Second, the interference of this extract with the inflammatory response of blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was determined, demonstrating potent inhibitory properties in the same concentration range on pro-inflammatory cytokine release and interference with the activation of NFκB signaling. Together, these in vitro data demonstrate the potential of S. miltiorrhiza against COVID-19, consisting first of the blockade of the binding of SARS-CoV-2 to the ACE2 receptor and the mitigation of the inflammatory response from leukocytes by interfering with NFκB signaling. This dataset prompts the launch of a clinical trial to address in vivo the clinical benefits of this promising agent.

Application of Chinese Medicine in the Management of Critical Conditions: A Review on Sepsis.

Critical care medicine is a medical specialty engaging the diagnosis and treatment of critically ill patients who have or are likely to have life-threatening organ failure. Sepsis, a life-threatening condition that arises when the body responds to infection, is currently the major cause of death in intensive care units (ICU). Although progress has been made in understanding the pathophysiology of sepsis, many drawbacks in sepsis treatment remains unresolved. For example, antimicrobial resistance, controversial of glucocorticoids use, prolonged duration of ICU care and the subsequent high cost of the treatment. Recent years have witnessed a growing trend of applying traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in sepsis management. The TCM application emphasizes use of herbal formulation to balance immune responses to infection, which include clearing heat and toxin, promoting blood circulation and removing its stasis, enhancing gastrointestinal function, and strengthening body resistance. In this paper, we will provide an overview of the current status of Chinese herbal formulations, single herbs, and isolated compounds, as an add-on therapy to the standard Western treatment in the sepsis management. With the current trajectory of worldwide pandemic eruption of newly identified Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19), the adjuvant TCM therapy can be used in the ICU to treat critically ill patients infected with the novel coronavirus.

Exploitation of Some Natural Products for the Prevention and/or Nutritional Treatment of SARS-CoV2 Infection.

Dietary habits strongly influence our health status, mostly in terms of maintenance of the inflammatory/anti-inflammatory homeostasis. High fat and high sugar diets account for the development of a low-grade inflammation, which is the pathogenic common denominator of various chronic diseases. Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS)-CoV2 (COVID-19) infection affects all ages and especially frail elderly people and a nutritional intervention seems to be crucial in the course of this pandemic. The present review describes the properties of some vegetal products and their derivatives, such as Lupin sp., garlic, salvia and extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) that can be exploited for their beneficial effects, as preventive and/or nutritional treatment of coronavirus disease SARS-CoV2. Lupin, salvia, garlic and EVOO share overlapping properties, such as anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-viral activities. Quite importantly, these products and their derivatives are able to recover the expression of angiotensin converting enzyme expression 2 on cell membrane, otherwise suppressed by COVID-19 binding and entry into cytoplasm. Dietary administration of the above nutraceuticals or their extracts may play a preventive or nutritional role in the course of SARS-CoV2 infection, even including the effects of the lockdown and the condition of inflamm-ageing.