scholarly journals Medicinal Plants and Zinc: Impact on COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Zineb Jalal ◽  
Meryem Bakour ◽  
Badiaa Lyoussi

The world is currently grappling with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The infection can cause fever, a dry cough, fatigue, severe pneumonia, respiratory distress syndrome, and in some cases death. There is currently no effective antiviral SARS-CoV-2 drug. To reduce the number of infections and deaths, it is critical to focus on strengthening immunity. This review aims to conduct a comprehensive search on the previous studies using Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, Medline, PubMed, and Scopus for the collection of research papers based on the role of zinc in the immune system, the antiviral activity of zinc, the effect of zinc supplementation in respiratory infections, the therapeutic approaches against viral infections based on medicinal plants, and the role of plants’ bioactive molecules in fighting viral infections. In conclusion, we highlighted the pivotal role of zinc in antiviral immunity and we suggested the bioactive molecules derived from medicinal plants as a search matrix for the development of anti-SARS-CoV-2 drugs.

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 363-382
Author(s):  
Mario Dioguardi ◽  
Angela Pia Cazzolla ◽  
Claudia Arena ◽  
Diego Sovereto ◽  
Giorgia Apollonia Caloro ◽  
...  

COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) is an emerging viral disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2), which leads to severe respiratory infections in humans. The first reports came in December 2019 from the city of Wuhan in the province of Hubei in China. It was immediately clear that children developed a milder disease than adults. The reasons for the milder course of the disease were attributed to several factors: innate immunity, difference in ACE2 (angiotensin-converting enzyme II) receptor expression, and previous infections with other common coronaviruses (CovH). This literature review aims to summarize aspects of innate immunity by focusing on the role of ACE2 expression and viral infections in children in modulating the antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 infection. This review was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Articles deemed potentially eligible were considered, including those dealing with COVID-19 in children and providing more up-to-date and significant data in terms of epidemiology, prognosis, course, and symptoms, focusing on the etiopathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 disease in children. The bibliographic search was conducted using the search engines PubMed and Scopus. The following search terms were entered in PubMed and Scopus: COVID-19 AND ACE2 AND Children; COVID-19 AND Immunity innate AND children. The search identified 857 records, and 18 studies were applicable based on inclusion and exclusion criteria that addressed the issues of COVID-19 concerning the role of ACE2 expression in children. The scientific literature agrees that children develop milder COVID-19 disease than adults. Milder symptomatology could be attributed to innate immunity or previous CovH virus infections, while it is not yet fully understood how the differential expression of ACE2 in children could contribute to milder disease.


Author(s):  
Е.Е. Краснова ◽  
В.В. Чемоданов ◽  
Е.Г. Кузнецова

Пневмония – острое инфекционно-воспалительное заболевание легких преимущественно бактериальной этиологии, характеризующееся выраженной в разной степени дыхательной недостаточностью, токсическими и респираторными нарушениями, локальными физикальными симптомами, а также инфильтративными изменениями на рентгенограмме. Заболеваемость внебольничными пневмониями повышается в октябре-декабре, достигая максимума в январе-апреле, коррелируя с сезонным повышением уровня острых респираторных вирусных инфекций. Схожесть симптомов дебюта пневмонии с проявлениями острых респираторных вирусных инфекций может привести к несвоевременной ее диагностике и, как следствие, к отсроченному началу лечения. Поэтому в период сезонной заболеваемости респираторными инфекциями должна повышаться настороженность врачей-педиатров в отношении внебольничной пневмонии. Антибактериальная терапия оказывает решающее влияние на прогноз пневмонии, поэтому при достоверном диагнозе или у больного в тяжелом состоянии с вероятным диагнозом ее следует начать незамедлительно. Выбор антибиотика в каждом случае внебольничной пневмонии проводят индивидуально с учетом природной активности препаратов в отношении предполагаемого возбудителя и их возможной приобретенной резистентности, тяжести и течения заболевания, наличия у пациента противопоказаний к использованию тех или иных антибиотиков. В статье приводятся сведения о диагностических критериях внебольничных пневмоний. Рассмотрены вопросы антибактериального лечения типичной нетяжелой пневмонии у детей разных возрастных групп амоксициллином с клавулановой кислотой и показана его эффективность. Результаты проведенного исследования позволяют заключить, что пероральное использование одного курса защищенного аминопенициллина эффективно при лечении типичной внебольничной нетяжелой пневмонии у детей разного возраста, о чем свидетельствует ликвидация основных клинических проявлений болезни в короткие сроки. Pneumonia is an acute infectious and inflammatory lung disease of predominantly bacterial etiology, characterized by respiratory failure, toxic and respiratory disorders, local physical symptoms, and infiltrative changes on the roentgenogram. The incidence of community-acquired pneumonia increases in October-December, reaching a maximum in January-April, correlating with the seasonal increase in the level of acute respiratory viral infections. The similarity of the symptoms of the onset of pneumonia with the manifestations of acute respiratory viral infections can lead to its untimely diagnosis and, as a consequence, to a delayed start of treatment. Therefore, during the period of seasonal morbidity with respiratory infections, the alertness of pediatricians in relation to community-acquired pneumonia should increase. Antibiotic therapy has a decisive influence on the prognosis of pneumonia, therefore, with a reliable diagnosis or in a patient in serious condition with a probable diagnosis, it should be started immediately. The choice of antibiotic in each case of community-acquired pneumonia is carried out individually, taking into account the natural activity of the drugs in relation to the alleged pathogen and their possible acquired resistance, the severity and course of the disease, the patient's contraindications to the use of certain antibiotics. The article provides information on the diagnostic criteria for community-acquired pneumonia. The issues of antibacterial treatment of typical non-severe pneumonia in children of different age groups with amoxicillin with clavulanic acid are considered and its effectiveness is shown. The results of the study allow us to conclude that the oral use of one course of protected aminopenicillin is effective in the treatment of typical community-acquired non-severe pneumonia in children of different ages, as evidenced by the elimination of the main clinical manifestations of the disease in a short time.


Author(s):  
Akshay Vaidya

Viral infections remain major “worldwide” cause of morbidity and mortality.  Herbal extracts or wholesome drugs have been in use for medicinal purposes since ancient time and are known for their antiviral properties and more tolerable side effects. Thus, naturally based pharmacotherapy is a proper alternative for treating viral diseases. Hence this article describes potential antiviral properties of medicinal plants against diverse group of viruses and suggests screening the potential of plants possessing broad spectrum anti-viral effects against viral diseases. Guduchyadi Kwath is a polyherb ayurvedic preparation useful in various diseases. It is useful in pitta vikar, shleshma vikar, Jwara, Chardi, Daha, Trushna, and Agnimandya1. According to modern science it showed anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral, antimalarial, hepatoprotective, wound healing and immune-modulatory action. The study is aim to the effect of “Guduchyadi kashaya” on viral diseases.


2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 165-189
Author(s):  
Brenda Hernández-Sánchez ◽  
◽  
Ericka Santacruz-Juárez ◽  
David Moore ◽  
Carmen Sánchez ◽  
...  

Viral infections have affected human health, causing critical pandemics and mortality worldwide. Viruses can also cause enormous economic problems for society globally. Bioactive compounds isolated from fungi (both edible and nonedible) have shown potential activity against viruses. In this review, we describe the fungal natural compounds that have exhibited capability to inhibit some human pathogenic viruses, such as human immunodeficiency virus, dengue virus, herpes simplex virus, bovine herpes virus, influenza virus, respiratory syndrome virus, hepatitis virus among others. We focused on the biosynthetic pathways of fungal bioactive compounds and addressed the current knowledge about their antiviral mechanisms of action and specific targets. Fungal bioactive compounds are able to inhibit viral reproduction, blocking viral penetration, replication or translation as well as integrase or protease action. Fungal compounds able to inhibit protease such as. ganodermatriol, ergosterol, terpenoids, ganoderic acid GS-2, ganoderiol, sterigmatocystin, emericellin, cordycepin, ergosterol peroxide, myristic acid among others, may have a significant value to society at present, as they may have the potential to treat severe viral respiratory infections. Fungi represent a potential natural source of bioactive molecules that can be exploited for treating viral infections, which represent one of the main causes of disease worldwide. However, extensive investigations on clinical trials are required for the introduction of new antiviral agents into the market.


2021 ◽  
pp. 61-71
Author(s):  
Raphael Iosifovich Rosenson

Currently, studying the role of microbiome in the realization of antiviral mechanisms is a relevant issue, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is known that microbiome disrupts the life cycle of viruses in the human organism cells at different stages and stimulates both innate and specific immune response. Such factors as delivery by cesarean section, artificial feeding of a child, early use of antibacterial agents, age-related changes lead to the development of dysbiosis, which increases the body’s susceptibility to viral infections. A positive role of probiotics use is observed in a range of viral infections, including HIV, HPV infection, viral hepatitis, respiratory infections and a number of other diseases.


2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas Asiimwe ◽  
Seung Geun Yeo ◽  
Min-Sik Kim ◽  
Junyang Jung ◽  
Na Young Jeong

Neuronal inflammation is a systematically organized physiological step often triggered to counteract an invading pathogen or to rid the body of damaged and/or dead cellular debris. At the crux of this inflammatory response is the deployment of nonneuronal cells: microglia, astrocytes, and blood-derived macrophages. Glial cells secrete a host of bioactive molecules, which include proinflammatory factors and nitric oxide (NO). From immunomodulation to neuromodulation, NO is a renowned modulator of vast physiological systems. It essentially mediates these physiological effects by interacting with cyclic GMP (cGMP) leading to the regulation of intracellular calcium ions. NO regulates the release of proinflammatory molecules, interacts with ROS leading to the formation of reactive nitrogen species (RNS), and targets vital organelles such as mitochondria, ultimately causing cellular death, a hallmark of many neurodegenerative diseases. AD is an enervating neurodegenerative disorder with an obscure etiology. Because of accumulating experimental data continually highlighting the role of NO in neuroinflammation and AD progression, we explore the most recent data to highlight in detail newly investigated molecular mechanisms in which NO becomes relevant in neuronal inflammation and oxidative stress-associated neurodegeneration in the CNS as well as lay down up-to-date knowledge regarding therapeutic approaches targeting NO.


Pathogens ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 106
Author(s):  
Lara Mitia Castronovo ◽  
Alberto Vassallo ◽  
Alessio Mengoni ◽  
Elisangela Miceli ◽  
Patrizia Bogani ◽  
...  

Medicinal plants (MPs) have been used since antiquity in traditional and popular medicine, and they represent a very important source of bioactive molecules, including antibiotic, antiviral, and antifungal molecules. Such compounds are often of plant origin, but in some cases, an origin or a modification from plant microbiota has been shown. Actually, the research continues to report the production of bioactive molecules by plants, but the role of plant–endophytic interaction is emerging. Classic examples are mainly concerned with fungal endophytes; however, it has been recently shown that bacterial endophytes can also play an important role in influencing the plant metabolism related to the synthesis of bioactive compounds. In spite of this, a deep investigation on the power of MP bacterial endophytes is lacking. Here, an overview of the studies on MP bacterial microbiota and its role in the production of plant antimicrobial compounds contributing to prime host defense system and representing a huge resource for biotech and therapeutic applications is provided.


Author(s):  
Devi Dayal

<p>Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) is presumed to play a role in several infective and non-infective conditions such as acute respiratory infections, tuberculosis, diabetes, hypertension, stroke etc. Most of the respiratory viral infections occur during winter season when the vitamin D levels in most individuals are generally low. The current pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) which began during winter season similar to the previous epidemics due to coronaviruses, has again stirred a debate on the role of VDD in the initiation and spread of the pandemic. The data on vitamin D status in patients with COVID-19 is however lacking. Different vitamin D supplementation strategies have recently been suggested as part of several countermeasures aimed at reducing the impact of COVID-19 pandemic. This brief narrative review discusses the evidence for the link between VDD and COVID-19 and the approaches suggested for vitamin D supplementation.</p>


2007 ◽  
pp. 14-18
Author(s):  
A. G. Chuchalin ◽  
T. P. Ospelnikova ◽  
G. L. Osipova ◽  
N. V. Lizogub ◽  
V. B. Gervazieva ◽  
...  

Nineteen patients aged 18–65 years with moderate and severe exacerbations of atopic asthma were examined for respiratory viruses, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and Chlamydophila pneumoniae. Interferon system, IL-4 and γ-IFN serum levels were also investigated. Viral infections (RS-virus, adenovirus, influenza types A (H1N1, H3N2) and B viruses, parainfluenza types 1 and 3 viruses) were diagnosed serologically or using PCR with direct detection of viral nucleic acids in 73.6 % of the patients. Diagnostic level of Mycoplasma pneumoniae antigen was found in 78.9 % of the patients, anti-Chlamydophila pneumoniae antibodies were detected in 31.6 %. Leukocyte interferon-producing function was decreased in all the patients.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Gierlikowska ◽  
Albert Stachura ◽  
Wojciech Gierlikowski ◽  
Urszula Demkow

Neutrophils are crucial elements of innate immune system, which assure host defense via a range of effector functions, such as phagocytosis, degranulation, and NET formation. The latest literature clearly indicates that modulation of effector functions of neutrophils may affect the treatment efficacy. Pharmacological modulation may affect molecular mechanisms activating or suppressing phagocytosis, degranulation or NET formation. In this review, we describe the role of neutrophils in physiology and in the course of bacterial and viral infections, illustrating the versatility and plasticity of those cells. This review also focus on the action of plant extracts, plant-derived compounds and synthetic drugs on effector functions of neutrophils. These recent advances in the knowledge can help to devise novel therapeutic approaches via pharmacological modulation of the described processes.


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