Serum vitamin D, calcium, and zinc levels in patients with COVID-19.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: COVID-19 is a global public health concern. As no standard treatment has been found for it yet, several minerals and vitamins with antioxidants, immunomodulators, and antimicrobials roles can be sufficient for the immune response against the disease. The present study evaluates the serum vitamin D, calcium, and Zinc levels in patients with COVID-19. MATERIALS & METHODS: This research is a case-control study performed in May 2020 on 93 patients with COVID-19 hospitalized in a Shoushtar city hospital and on 186 healthy subjects with no symptoms of COVID-19. The serum vitamin D, calcium, and zinc levels were collected and analyzed using correlation coefficient and independent t-test via SPSS 18. RESULTS: Vitamin D levels had a significant difference between the case and control groups (p = 0.008). Serum calcium and serum zinc levels also had statistically significant differences between the two groups (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The research results showed that serum zinc, calcium, and vitamin D levels in COVID-19 patients are lower than in the control group. The supplementation with such nutrients is a safe and low-cost measure that can help cope with the increased demand for these nutrients in risk of acquiring the COVID-19 virus.

Effect of cadmium toxicity on the level of lipid peroxidation and antioxidative enzymes activity in wheat plants colonized by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi.

High concentrations of heavy metals in the soil have an adverse effect on micro-organisms and microbial processes. Mycorrhizas are among the extracellular strategies to avoid metal toxicity. In the present study, the effect of cadmium on lipid peroxidation and antioxidative enzymes activity of AM (with Glomus veruciforme, G. intraradices and G. etunicatum) and non-AM Wheat plants was investigated. Wheat plants (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Azar2) which have been colonized by above species, were used in this study. They have been exposed to different concentrations of cadmium chloride for 60 days. The test solution contained: 0 (control), 250, 750 and 2500 microm cadmium Toxicity symptoms such as chlorosis and necrosis appeared on the cadmium treated leaves. Activity of detoxifying enzymes Guaiacol peroxidase (GUPX) and Ascorbate peroxidase (APX) of mycorrhizal and non-mycorrhizal plants were increased. Also, the amount of malondialdehyde (MDA) increased in roots and shoots ofmycorrhizal and non-mycorrhizal plants significantly as a result of Cd treatment, but it was more dramatic in mycorrhizal ones.

Effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (Glomus veruciforme) on changes of some physiological parameters in cadmium treated wheat plants.

Soil pollution by heavy metals has become a critical environmental concern due to its potential adverse ecological effects. In this study we have investigated the effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (Glomus veruciforme) on some physiological growth parameters, such as chlorophyll content, amount of total soluble sugar and total protein of wheat plants (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Azar2) and we compared these factors in mycorrhizal (AM) and non-mycorrhizal (non-AM) plants. The content of chlorophyll in the absence of Cd in AM-plants was higher than non-AM plants. In the presence of mycorrhiza the content of chlorophyll a and b was decreased by increase in Cd concentration in both AM and non-AM plants. Furthermore, the amount of total soluble sugars and total proteins of shoots and roots have been increased in parallel to exogenous Cd concentration. In roots of AM-plants, the increase of soluble sugars was more dramatic in the presence of 2500 microm, but in the roots of non-AM plants this increase was step-by-step. The increase of total soluble sugars was gradually and significant in shoots of both AM and non-AM plants. The content of total proteins in shoots was raised with the increased level ofCd treatment, gradually and non-significantly.