scholarly journals Bioactive Natural Antivirals: An Updated Review of the Available Plants and Isolated Molecules

Molecules ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (21) ◽  
pp. 4878 ◽  
Author(s):  
Syam Mohan ◽  
Manal Mohamed Elhassan Taha ◽  
Hafiz A. Makeen ◽  
Hassan A. Alhazmi ◽  
Mohammed Al Bratty ◽  
...  

Viral infections and associated diseases are responsible for a substantial number of mortality and public health problems around the world. Each year, infectious diseases kill 3.5 million people worldwide. The current pandemic caused by COVID-19 has become the greatest health hazard to people in their lifetime. There are many antiviral drugs and vaccines available against viruses, but they have many disadvantages, too. There are numerous side effects for conventional drugs, and active mutation also creates drug resistance against various viruses. This has led scientists to search herbs as a source for the discovery of more efficient new antivirals. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 65% of the world population is in the practice of using plants and herbs as part of treatment modality. Additionally, plants have an advantage in drug discovery based on their long-term use by humans, and a reduced toxicity and abundance of bioactive compounds can be expected as a result. In this review, we have highlighted the important viruses, their drug targets, and their replication cycle. We provide in-depth and insightful information about the most favorable plant extracts and their derived phytochemicals against viral targets. Our major conclusion is that plant extracts and their isolated pure compounds are essential sources for the current viral infections and useful for future challenges.

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (SPL1) ◽  
pp. 1278-1285
Author(s):  
Mohamed Yafout ◽  
Amine Ousaid ◽  
Ibrahim Sbai El Otmani ◽  
Youssef Khayati ◽  
Amal Ait Haj Said

The new SARS-CoV-2 belonging to the coronaviruses family has caused a pandemic affecting millions of people around the world. This pandemic has been declared by the World Health Organization as an international public health emergency. Although several clinical trials involving a large number of drugs are currently underway, no treatment protocol for COVID-19 has been officially approved so far. Here we demonstrate through a search in the scientific literature that the traditional Moroccan pharmacopoeia, which includes more than 500 medicinal plants, is a fascinating and promising source for the research of natural molecules active against SARS-CoV-2. Multiple in-silico and in-vitro studies showed that some of the medicinal plants used by Moroccans for centuries possess inhibitory activity against SARS-CoV or SARS-CoV-2. These inhibitory activities are achieved through the different molecular mechanisms of virus penetration and replication, or indirectly through stimulation of immunity. Thus, the potential of plants, plant extracts and molecules derived from plants that are traditionally used in Morocco and have activity against SARS-CoV-2, could be explored in the search for a preventive or curative treatment against COVID-19. Furthermore, safe plants or plant extracts that are proven to stimulate immunity could be officially recommended by governments as nutritional supplements.


2010 ◽  
Vol 138 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 225-229
Author(s):  
Gorica Sbutega-Milosevic ◽  
Zorica Djordjevic ◽  
Zoran Marmut ◽  
Boban Mugosa

Introduction. Combating nutritional deficiencies of micronutrients, such as iodine, represents a priority task of health care organizations. In 2003, the World Health Organization (WHO) published the publication: Global Prevalence of Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDD), according to which some 2,2 billion people live in areas poor in naturally occurring iodine. Approximately 13% of the world population suffer from goitre - one of the IDD. The recommended iodine content in table salt is 20-40 mg/kg, which should satisfy the daily iodine requirements of an adult. Objective. The authors sought to ascertain whether iodization of table salt in Montenegro was carried out in accordance with the existing legislature. An assessment was also carried out of the attitudes and habits of the population regarding the use of salt in nutrition and the level of awareness in relation to the relevance of table salt iodization. Methods. The research was carried out in 2004 and was sponsored by UNICEF. A sample of 594 homes from the municipalities of Bar and Podgorica was chosen: 354 homes from urban and 240 from rural areas. The participants completed a questionnaire related to the daily use and intake of salt, as well as their understanding of the relevance of table salt iodization. Iodine content was tested in 15 samples of table salt at production level, 170 samples at retail level and 126 samples taken from domestic use. Results. The analysis of table salt samples showed an optimal iodine level in 73.3% of samples from production, in 81.2% from retail, and in 73.0% from domestic use. A lower level of iodine was found in 8.8% retail samples and 15.1% samples from home use. A greater concentration of iodine was found in 26.7% production, 10.0% retail and 11.9% samples from domestic use. Conclusion. Although the application of the WHO programme has led to an improvement in iodization of table salt in Montenegro, both at production and retail levels, this still falls short of the standards recommended by WHO to combat IDD. The levels of iodine in table salt in domestic use also fail to comply with the WHO criteria for elimination of IDD.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 1511 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nícia Rosário-Ferreira ◽  
António J. Preto ◽  
Rita Melo ◽  
Irina S. Moreira ◽  
Rui M. M. Brito

Influenza (flu) is a contagious viral disease, which targets the human respiratory tract and spreads throughout the world each year. Every year, influenza infects around 10% of the world population and between 290,000 and 650,000 people die from it according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Influenza viruses belong to the Orthomyxoviridae family and have a negative sense eight-segment single-stranded RNA genome that encodes 11 different proteins. The only control over influenza seasonal epidemic outbreaks around the world are vaccines, annually updated according to viral strains in circulation, but, because of high rates of mutation and recurrent genetic assortment, new viral strains of influenza are constantly emerging, increasing the likelihood of pandemics. Vaccination effectiveness is limited, calling for new preventive and therapeutic approaches and a better understanding of the virus–host interactions. In particular, grasping the role of influenza non-structural protein 1 (NS1) and related known interactions in the host cell is pivotal to better understand the mechanisms of virus infection and replication, and thus propose more effective antiviral approaches. In this review, we assess the structure of NS1, its dynamics, and multiple functions and interactions, to highlight the central role of this protein in viral biology and its potential use as an effective therapeutic target to tackle seasonal and pandemic influenza.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bapi Gorain ◽  
Hira Choudhury ◽  
Nagashekhara Molugulu ◽  
Rajani B. Athawale ◽  
Prashant Kesharwani

Sudden outbreak of a new pathogen in numbers of pneumonic patients in Wuhan province during December 2019 has threatened the world population within a short period of its occurrence. This respiratory tract–isolated pathogen was initially named as novel coronavirus 2019 (nCoV-2019), but later termed as SARS-CoV-2. The rapid spreading of this infectious disease received the label of pandemic by the World Health Organization within 4 months of its occurrence, which still seeks continuous attention of the researchers to prevent the spread and for cure of the infected patients. The propagation of the disease has been recorded in 215 countries, with more than 25.5 million cases and a death toll of more than 0.85 million. Several measures are taken to control the disease transmission, and researchers are actively engaged in finding suitable therapeutics to effectively control the disease to minimize the mortality and morbidity rates. Several existing potential candidates were explored in the prevention and treatment of worsening condition of COVID-19 patients; however, none of the formulation has been approved for the treatment but used under medical supervision. In this article, a focus has been made to highlight on current epidemiology on the COVID-19 infection, clinical features, diagnosis, and transmission, with special emphasis on treatment measures of the disease at different stages of clinical research and the global economic influence due to this pandemic situation. Progress in the development on vaccine against COVID-19 has also been explored as important measures to immunize people. Moreover, this article is expected to provide information to the researchers, who are constantly combating in the management against this outbreak.


Metallomics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jemmyson Romário de Jesus ◽  
Tatianny de Araújo Andrade

Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a pandemic situation due to a new viral infection (COVID-19) caused by a novel virus (Sars-CoV-2).


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 60-69
Author(s):  
Ridwan Olamilekan Adesola ◽  
Oluwatobi Emmanuel Oladele ◽  
Ahmed Oluwasegun Tajudeen ◽  
Ogundepo Oluwatobi Moses ◽  
Murali Dinesh

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), confirmed as the global pandemic on March 11, 2020, by the World Health Organization (WHO), was caused by the outbreak of an emergent severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which was first reported in Wuhan city, China, in December 2019. Based on the previous pandemic, such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) from 2002 to 2003, Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in 2012. The scientific developments have fast-tracked our insights SARS-CoV-2 epidemiology, likewise vaccinology relevant for developing drugs for viral infections treatment. As there are not many detailed interventions and vaccines available for disease control, the pandemic COVID-19 poses countless threats to global public health, causing a great level of insecurity and unrest worldwide. To provide an inclusive overview to global health authorities and prospective readers worldwide, we detailed in this review the epidemiology and vaccinology of SARS-CoV-2 in Nigeria.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Paula Figueiredo de Montalvão França ◽  
Danielly do Vale Pereira ◽  
Elaine Valéria Rodrigues ◽  
Flávia Nunes Vieira ◽  
Karine Santos Machado ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: The new betacoronavirus known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the cause of COVID-19, and has spread rapidly around the world, reaching more than 200 countries, around 7 million people and causing more than 400.000 deaths according to the World Health Organization. Case presentation: A 26-year-old female at 28 weeks of gestation with regular prenatal care, a heart disease condition and no previous history of recent national or international traveling presented to a cardiology hospital, in Northern Brazil, with dry cough, sustained/continuous high fever, which quickly evolved to respiratory failure. Once stabilized an emergency cesarean was performed to preserve the fetus life. After surgery both patient and newborn were in Intensive Care Unit, then both patient and newborn nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal secretion were obtained to test for respiratory viral infections, such as SARS-CoV-2, also blood samples were collected for laboratory exams. The patient’s tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 however her newborn SARS-CoV-2. And during treatment due patient’s conditions and severity the case evolved to death.Conclusion: This report highlights the relevance of comorbidities for the unfavorable clinical course of COVID-19, despite the adequate treatment used for patients affected by COVID-19, especially among the risk groups, as well as demonstrating the absence of vertical transmission of SARS-CoV-2.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. e20191211123
Author(s):  
Thyago José Arruda Pacheco ◽  
Victor Carlos Mello da Silva ◽  
Danielle Galdino de Souza

A new coronavirus, identified in Wuhan, China, has spread globally, infecting millions of people and causing significant morbidity and mortality. The pandemic state, declared by the World Health Organization on March 11, 2020, transformed the world and made people adapt to social distance to control the spread of the virus. The race against time in search of therapeutic solutions has become essential, and nanotechnology may be able to make vaccines available in record time to stimulate the immunization of individuals. Since the beginning of 2020, scientists and companies are rapidly advancing to make vaccine candidates available at a different rate compared to other pandemics that have existed. This review briefly presents the pros and cons of the third generation vaccines, Moderna / NIAID and Pfizer - BioNTech, which are in phase 3 tests, based on lipid RNA nanoparticles. Great collaborative efforts are being invested so that soon the world population will receive doses of vaccines with proven efficacy and enable increased survival, since the pandemic has already caused many irreversible losses.


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alireza Aminisefat ◽  
Khadigh Saravani

: In December 2019, a cluster of pneumonia cases, caused by a newly identified coronavirus, occurred in Wuhan, China, named COVID-19 by the World Health Organization (WHO). We present a 60-year-old woman with a four-day history of headache, myalgia, and weakness. She reported no shortness of breath or chest pain. Her blood pressure was 15/6 mmHg, and she had a history of hypertension. The laboratory tests showed only thrombocytopenia with a platelet count of 30 × 109 /L, and chest CT showed bilateral ground-glass opacities, so she received treatment with three drugs. One day after recovery and discharge from the hospital, she suffered cardiopulmonary arrest at home. Patients with cardiovascular disease are at a higher risk of COVID-19 infection. Therefore, it is necessary to pay particular attention to cardiac injuries caused by viral infections both during and after the treatment of these patients.


2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Karolina Gerreth ◽  
Dorota Olczak-Kowalczyk ◽  
Maria Borysewicz-Lewicka

The problem of treatment of patients with special health needs resulting from the presence of deficits in intellectual, motor or sensory functions, also in dentistry, has not been comprehensively solved. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 15% of the world population has some form of disability. Patients with disabilities are considered to have greater dental treatment needs in comparison to healthy individuals. High incidence and intensity of dental caries as well as frequent gum diseases are observed in this environment. Often the situation is related, among other, to the presence of systemic diseases and the treatment used, limitations in shaping proper dental health behaviors, insufficient knowledge of parents about oral health or barriers in access to dental care. The development of recommendations for parents/caregivers as well as medical staff is required to improve the health of these patients and quality of their life. The document contains information on the etiology and epidemiology of dental caries in patients with disabilities but also prophylactic recommendations for this population of patients and their parents/caregivers and dentists.


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