scholarly journals An In-vitro evaluation of a polyherbal formulation, against SARS-CoV-2

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Divya Kanchibhotla ◽  
Saumya Subramanian ◽  
Ravi Reddy ◽  
Hari Venkatesh K.R. ◽  
Monika Pathania
Keyword(s):  
Therapeutic Option ◽  
Test Material ◽  
Past Century ◽  
African Green Monkey Kidney ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Polyherbal Formulation ◽  
The World ◽  
Kidney Epithelial Cell ◽  
Infected Cells

Abstract Background: COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2 is one of the major health crisis that has affected the world in the past century. With the emergence of new strains of viruses and antimicrobial resistance, the world is looking for an alternate therapeutic option to fight infectious disease.Objective: The present study evaluated the efficacy of a novel polyherbal formulation, named NOQ19, against SARS-CoV-2 in an in vitro setting. NOQ 19 is an unique blend of 13 Ayurvedic herbs.Methodology: Vero E6 (CL1008), the African green monkey kidney epithelial cell, were infected with SARS-CoV-2 virus (isolate USA-WA1/2020) in a 96 well-plate. NOQ19 test material was diluted in different concentration as follows 0.05mg/ml, 0.1mg/ml, 0.2mg/ml, 0.3mg/ml, 0.4mg/ml, 0.5mg/ml, 0.6mg/ml, 0.7mg/ml, 0.8mg/ml and 0.9mg/ml. These different concentrations of NOQ19 were added to infected cells respectively and incubated for 3 days in 5% CO2 incubator. Remdesivir was used as a positive control.The cells were finally fixed with formaldehyde, stained with crystal violet and plaques were visualized. The number of plaques were counted to determine the PFU(plaque forming units)/mL.Results: Results demonstrated 100% antiviral efficacy of NOQ19 at 0.9mg/ml concentration with complete elimination of the virus. The IC50 of the drug was found to be 0.2mg/ml. The results of the present study demonstrated viral load reduction in SARS- CoV-2 infected Vero E6 cell lines.Conclusion: The result along with clinical trials could propose NOQ19 as a potential therapeutic option in the fighting the COVID-19 challenge.

Synthetic and semi-synthetic drugs as promising therapeutic option for the treatment of COVID-19

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ekta Shirbhate ◽  
Preeti Patel ◽  
Vijay K Patel ◽  
Ravichandran Veerasamy ◽  
Prabodh C Sharma ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Therapeutic Option ◽  
Antiviral Treatment ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Clinical Experiences ◽  
Synthetic Compounds ◽  
Synthetic Drugs ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
The World ◽  
Novel Coronavirus

: The novel coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19), a global pandemic that emerged from Wuhan, China has today travelled all around the world, so far 216 countries or territories with 21,732,472 people infected and 770,866 deaths globally (as per WHO COVID-19 update dated August 18, 2020). Continuous efforts are being made to repurpose the existing drugs and develop vaccines for combating this infection. Despite, to date, no certified antiviral treatment or vaccine prevails. Although, few candidates have displayed their efficacy in in vitro studies and are being repurposed for COVID-19 treatment. This article summarizes synthetic and semi-synthetic compounds displaying potent activity in their clinical experiences or studies against COVID-19 and also focuses on mode of action of drugs being repositioned against COVID-19.

scholarly journals Convalescent Plasma Therapy for COVID-19: Current Status and Future Directions

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (03) ◽  
pp. 140-147
Author(s):  
Jayanth Seshan ◽  
Surya K. Dube ◽  
Vanitha Rajagopalan ◽  
Pragyan S. Panda ◽  
Girija P. Rath
Keyword(s):  
Rescue Therapy ◽  
Therapeutic Option ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Past Century ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Plasma Therapy ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Influenza Outbreak ◽  
Initial Results

AbstractThe ongoing pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has triggered a global health crisis probably due to a lack of a reliable cure till date. Several clinical trials are ongoing, but initial results have not been overly promising. Convalescent plasma (CP), which refers to plasma collected from individuals recovered from an illness and developed antibodies against the pathogen, is also being proposed as a therapeutic option for COVID-19 treatment in severe cases to achieve short-term immunity against the virus. Use of CP is not new, and it has been used in various outbreaks over the past century, ranging from the Spanish influenza outbreak in 1918 to the recent Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). However, data available on its use in COVID-19 patients is limited. Use of CP so far is restricted to a “rescue therapy” and needs further trials to assess its possible use in other situations (prevention, postexposure prophylaxis) and patient populations (considering age and comorbid illnesses). In this review, we will try to summarize the current status of use of CP for COVID-19 and ongoing trials in India and elsewhere and will discuss the possible avenues for its use in future.

scholarly journals In vitro evaluation of antiviral efficacy of a Siddha Formulation against SARS-CoV-2

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Divya Kanchibhotla ◽  
Jeetu Pathak ◽  
Hari Venkatesh K.R. ◽  
Ravi reddy ◽  
Monika Pathania
Keyword(s):  
Antiviral Activity ◽  
Healthcare Systems ◽  
Positive Control ◽  
Epithelial Cell Line ◽  
Viral Isolate ◽  
Antiviral Efficacy ◽  
Kidney Epithelial Cell ◽  
Kidney Epithelial Cell Line ◽  
Infected Cells

Abstract Introduction: SARS-CoV-2 virus caused COVID-19 pandemic with 218 million cases and 45 million deaths world over. It has challenged the already overburdened healthcare systems and created an urgent need to investigate solutions present in other healthcare systems. In this study Kabasura Kudineer is investigated as an intervention to influence the immune response which is beneficial for the host and stop the viral replication. Methods: Kabasura Kudineer is a polyherbal formulation containing 15 herbal drugs mixed in equal quantity. It is an official Siddha formulation, used for phlegmatic fevers and flu-like symptoms. To conduct this study Vero E6 (CL1008), the African monkey kidney epithelial cell line was taken and infected with SARS-CoV-2 viral isolate. The Kabasura Kudineer was added in different concentrations; 0.5 mg/mL, 0.25 mg/mL, 0.12 mg/mL, 0.06 mg/mL and 0.03 mg/mL to the infected cells respectively. These cell plates were incubated for 3 days in 5% CO2 incubator. Remdesivir was used as a positive control. The cells were fixed with formaldehyde, stained with crystal violet and plaques were visualised. Plaques were counted as PFU/ml. Result: Kabasura Kudineer was found to exhibit good antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2. The highest antiviral activity was 81.5% at a concentration of 0.5 mg/ml. The IC-50 value was found to be 0.2 mg/mL. Conclusion: The antiviral efficacy of Kabasura Kudineer in our study showed reduction in the viral load which supports the results of clinical studies. Kabasura Kudineer can be used widely in a clinical setting as a treatment for COVID-19.

scholarly journals Ivermectin the Promising Drug to Stave off the COVID-19 Crisis: A Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 95-98
Author(s):  
Zakia Jahan ◽  
Masudul Hassan
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Specific Treatment ◽  
In Vitro Study ◽  
Antiviral Effect ◽  
Viral Particles ◽  
The World ◽  
Infected Cells ◽  
Almost All ◽  
First Time

The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, forcing us to face unprecedented moments in the world. The huge devastating impact of the world due to the covid-19 attack causes the brink of no return. However, there is no proven and specific treatment for Covid -19. Very few medications have received Emergency Use of Authorization. A recent in vitro study was the first time to find out and to assess the antiviral effect of Ivermectin on COVID-19. The study showed that Ivermectin was active against COVID- 19-infected cells, was able to kill effectively almost all viral particles within 48 h. In these moments of crisis, FDA-approved ivermectin is a ray of hope. Bangladesh Journal of Infectious Diseases 2020;7(2):95-98

scholarly journals A review of epidemiology, clinical features and disease course, transmission dynamics, and neutralization efficacy of SARS-CoV-2 variants

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Paroma Deb ◽  
Md. Maruf Ahmed Molla ◽  
KM Saif-Ur-Rahman ◽  
Manik Chandra Das ◽  
Debashish Das
Keyword(s):  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Therapeutic Option ◽  
Vaccination Strategy ◽  
Transmission Dynamics ◽  
Disease Course ◽  
Vaccine Strategy ◽  
Heat Map ◽  
The World ◽  
Containment Measures

Abstract Background After the first detection in November 2019, SARS-CoV-2 has spread rapidly over the continents and started the pandemic of the millennium. In addition to several novels and repurposed monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) as a therapeutic option against COVID-19, scientists from across the world have developed several candidate vaccines, developed mainly targeting the Wuhan strain, with very promising results to combat this pandemic. Unfortunately like any RNA viruses, SARS CoV-2 has also gone through the accumulation of hundreds and thousands of mutations in their genome lead to the development of several variants of concerns (VOC) and variants of interests (VOI), resulting in increased transmissibility and virulence of the virus, along with their capacity to escape cross-protection. Seemingly, the main hindrance of containing this pandemic right now is the effectiveness of currently available vaccines and mAbs against newly emerging variants. Therefore, it is important to monitor variants epidemiology, transmission dynamics, clinical characteristics, as well as their immune evasion capacity to implement appropriate vaccine strategy and other containment measures. Body In this review, we tried to focus on variants characteristics and to what extent they can escape immunity, provided by both available vaccinated sera and convalescent sera. A stringent literature review was performed using various databases, mentioned in the methodology portion. The current geographical distribution of these variants of SARS CoV-2 has been presented using a heat map. Findings from published articles comparing these variants, in terms of genome epidemiology, transmissibility, viral load dynamics, and association with different waves have been described briefly. Due strength was given while describing variants neutralization potency against current vaccines, mAbs, and also against convalescent sera. Data from both clinical trials and in vitro/ex-vivo studies have been discussed here. Comparative findings from several articles were brought into one concise paper. After careful reviewing of all the available data, it was clear that, without hesitation, we should strengthen our vaccination strategy, because the severity of COVID 19 is reasonably lower, irrespective of variants and vaccine used. Conclusion We hope that many falsified myths and beliefs regarding vaccine immunity and emerging variants will be clarified in light of this available evidence, which we summarized in our paper.

scholarly journals Impairment of SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein maturation and fusion activity by the broad-spectrum anti-infective drug nitazoxanide

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Riccio ◽  
Silvia Santopolo ◽  
Antonio Rossi ◽  
Sara Piacentini ◽  
Jean-Francois Rossignol ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Broad Spectrum ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Fusion Activity ◽  
Highly Pathogenic ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Trigger Receptor ◽  
Fusion Glycoprotein ◽  
Infected Cells ◽  
Syncytia Formation

ABSTRACTThe emergence of the highly-pathogenic severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of COVID-19 (coronavirus disease-2019), has caused an unprecedented global health crisis, as well as societal and economic disruption. The SARS-CoV-2 spike (S), a surface-anchored trimeric class-I fusion glycoprotein essential for entry into host cells, represents a key target for developing vaccines and therapeutics capable of blocking virus invasion. The emergence of several SARS-CoV-2 spike variants that facilitate virus spread and may affect the efficacy of recently developed vaccines, creates great concern and highlights the importance of identifying antiviral drugs to reduce SARS-CoV-2-related morbidity and mortality. Nitazoxanide, a thiazolide originally developed as an antiprotozoal agent with recognized broad-spectrum antiviral activity in-vitro and in clinical studies, was recently shown to be effective against several coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2. Using biochemical and pseudovirus entry assays, we now demonstrate that nitazoxanide interferes with the SARS-CoV-2 spike biogenesis, hampering its maturation at an endoglycosidase H-sensitive stage, and hindering its fusion activity in human cells. Besides membrane fusion during virus entry, SARS-CoV-2 S-proteins in infected cells can also trigger receptor-dependent formation of syncytia, observed in-vitro and in COVID-19 patients tissues, facilitating viral dissemination between cells and possibly promoting immune evasion. Utilizing two different quantitative cell-cell fusion assays, we show that nitazoxanide is effective in inhibiting syncytia formation mediated by different SARS-CoV-2 spike variants in human lung, liver and intestinal cells. The results suggest that nitazoxanide may represent a useful tool in the fight against COVID-19 infections, inhibiting SARS-CoV-2 replication and preventing spike-mediated syncytia formation.

scholarly journals The NF-κB transcriptional footprint is essential for SARS-CoV-2 replication

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin E. Nilsson-Payant ◽  
Skyler Uhl ◽  
Adrien Grimont ◽  
Ashley S. Doane ◽  
Phillip Cohen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factors ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Cytokine Production ◽  
Antiviral Treatment ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Type I ◽  
Mortality And Morbidity ◽  
The World ◽  
Infected Cells

SARS-CoV-2, the etiological agent of COVID-19, is characterized by a delay in Type I interferon (IFN-I)-mediated antiviral defenses alongside robust cytokine production. Here we investigate the underlying molecular basis for this imbalance and implicate virus-mediated activation of NF-κB in the absence of other canonical IFN-I-related transcription factors. Epigenetic and single cell transcriptomic analyses show a selective NF-κB signature that was most prominent in infected cells. Disruption of NF-κB signaling through the silencing of the NF-κB transcription factors p65 or p50 resulted in loss of virus replication that was rescued upon reconstitution. These findings could be further corroborated with the use of NF-κB inhibitors, which reduced SARS-CoV-2 replication in vitro . These data suggest that the robust cytokine production in response to SARS-CoV-2, despite a diminished IFN-I response, is the product of a dependency on NF-κB for viral replication. IMPORTANCE The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant mortality and morbidity around the world. Although effective vaccines have been developed, large parts of the world remain unvaccinated while new SARS-CoV-2 strains keep emerging. Furthermore, despite extensive efforts and large-scale drug screenings, no fully effective antiviral treatment options have been discovered yet. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance to gain a better understanding of essential factors driving SARS-CoV-2 replication in order to be able to develop novel approaches to target SARS-CoV-2 biology.

Eating NAFTA

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alyshia Gálvez
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Chronic Disease ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Food System ◽  
Dietary Habits ◽  
Trade Agreement ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
The North ◽  
The World

In the two decades since the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) went into effect, Mexico has seen an epidemic of diet-related illness. While globalization has been associated with an increase in chronic disease around the world, in Mexico, the speed and scope of the rise has been called a public health emergency. The shift in Mexican foodways is happening at a moment when the country’s ancestral cuisine is now more popular and appreciated around the world than ever. What does it mean for their health and well-being when many Mexicans eat fewer tortillas and more instant noodles, while global elites demand tacos made with handmade corn tortillas? This book examines the transformation of the Mexican food system since NAFTA and how it has made it harder for people to eat as they once did. The book contextualizes NAFTA within Mexico’s approach to economic development since the Revolution, noticing the role envisioned for rural and low-income people in the path to modernization. Examination of anti-poverty and public health policies in Mexico reveal how it has become easier for people to consume processed foods and beverages, even when to do so can be harmful to health. The book critiques Mexico’s strategy for addressing the public health crisis generated by rising rates of chronic disease for blaming the dietary habits of those whose lives have been upended by the economic and political shifts of NAFTA.

Aftershocks

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seva Gunitsky
Keyword(s):  
Twentieth Century ◽  
Regime Change ◽  
International System ◽  
Political Legitimacy ◽  
Great Powers ◽  
Past Century ◽  
The Past ◽  
Sudden Rise ◽  
The World ◽  
National Borders

Over the past century, democracy spread around the world in turbulent bursts of change, sweeping across national borders in dramatic cascades of revolution and reform. This book offers a new global-oriented explanation for this wavelike spread and retreat—not only of democracy but also of its twentieth-century rivals, fascism, and communism. The book argues that waves of regime change are driven by the aftermath of cataclysmic disruptions to the international system. These hegemonic shocks, marked by the sudden rise and fall of great powers, have been essential and often-neglected drivers of domestic transformations. Though rare and fleeting, they not only repeatedly alter the global hierarchy of powerful states but also create unique and powerful opportunities for sweeping national reforms—by triggering military impositions, swiftly changing the incentives of domestic actors, or transforming the basis of political legitimacy itself. As a result, the evolution of modern regimes cannot be fully understood without examining the consequences of clashes between great powers, which repeatedly—and often unsuccessfully—sought to cajole, inspire, and intimidate other states into joining their camps.

Variable oil and argumentative conflict in the Middle East

2020 ◽  
pp. 824
Author(s):  
Malik Daham Mata’ab
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
Past Century ◽  
Large Area ◽  
The Past ◽  
The World

Oil has formed since its discovery so far one of the main causes of global conflict, has occupied this energy map a large area of conflict the world over the past century, and certainly this matter will continue for the next period in our century..

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