Current and future role of immobilized enzymes in medical field

Although the history of immobilized enzymes and their applications in different fields are traced back to the second half of the twentieth century, their importance in bioreactors and biosensors highlighted at the turn of the current century is under active consideration in these days for broad-spectrum applications in different medical fields. Thus, this article presents a review of the literature concerning the current and future role of the immobilized enzymes in different medical fields. As the author and his supervised research groups have also been actively involved in research on immobilized enzymes, he has also made some input with a recommendation to revise the current classification of immobilized enzymes basically into “Naturally Immobilized” and “Artificially Immobilized Enzymes”, keeping the sub-classification intact. He has also suggested the development of some medical products based on the results of his research groups.

Elucidation of the origin of autoimmune diseases via computational multiscale mechanobiology and extracellular matrix remodeling: theories and phenomenon of immunodominance

Experimental practices of computational multiscale mechanobiology were applied to explicate different topographies of mechanobiology and to predict the fine minutiae of mechanosensing and mechanotransduction in a cellular system accurately. Autoimmune diseases denoted as biologically implausible. Recently, scientific and medical communities investigated autoimmune diseases and associated settings to conclude the disarrays of autoimmune as earlier as possible. Therefore, an urgent need is there to evaluate ocular immunology and the route of growth of autoimmune diseases. Scientific investigations play a significant role to detect interrelated cures and bearing research for probing treatments for autoimmune diseases, which are yet undiscovered. Extracellular matrix remodeling followed in the cellular microenvironment dynamically to manage remodelling events. Immunodominance deals with the immunodominance mechanism evolved in response to clearing any type of infection and not yet distinguished entirely.

Spatial mapping and enshrined capacity: Assessment of COVID-19 servicing Indian hospitals

In Public health crises like COVID-19, healthcare services alone won‟t essentially cause the well-liked changes within the health status and outcome. Human resources with needed competency for managing healthcare crisis could be a challenge, and can‟t be over accentuated. A systemic approach adopted to analyze knowledge, management, and delivery of COVID-19 services in the Indian context while the concentration curve alongside regression statistical techniques was used to examine the nature of competency and skill variations among the health-functionaries. Training processes on COVID-19 aren‟t streamlined and systematic. The method of organizing a training programme depends upon the need-based mostly. This mirrored within the variability of health-functionaries reported with adverse events, infected with the coronavirus. Several COVID-19 strategies focused on healthcare-functionaries and its associated front-liners to save lots of lives and alter the lifestyles of the population. The stigmatized COVID-19 disease brutally distanced the frontline health-workers and socially distanced the sufferers' delay in reporting, with heightened morbidity and mortality. Training is just on information rather than on competencies for action. The quality training and the level of community-based health intervention flaunted not to expect health functionaries to perform expectedly. Training-competency and skills-related inequality and inequity in health exist. There‟s a necessity to sources information equitably to empower the healthcare providers to deliver service effectively.

The potential role of Bromhexine in the management of COVID-19: Decipher and a real game-changer

Primary infection of SARS-CoV-2 (novel coronavirus or 2019-nCoV), which leads to Covid-19, targets specific cells, such as nasal, bronchial epithelial and pneumocytes, through the viral structural spike (S) protein that binds to the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor. Also, type 2 transmembrane serine protease (TMPRSS2) present in the host cell promotes viral uptake by cleaving ACE2 and triggering the SARS-CoV-2 S protein, which facilitates SARS-CoV-2 entry into host cells. One of the TMPRSS2 inhibitors with a greater distribution capacity into the lung tissue is bromhexine hydrochloride which attenuates the entry and proliferation of SARS-CoV-2. Bromhexine is an effective drug in the management and treatment of Covid-19 pneumonia via targeting ACE2/ TMPRSS2 pathway. However, prospective and controlled clinical trials are recommended to confirm this observation.

COVID-19 and risk of cardiomyocyte injury: The prevailing scenario

The novel coronavirus which is also called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is responsible for COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019). SARS-CoV-2 is known to cause substantial pulmonary disease, including pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), clinicians have observed many extra-pulmonary manifestations of COVID-19. SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with a variety of pro-inflammatory mediators that may play important roles in the pathophysiology of cardiac and arrhythmic complications. Systemic inflammatory response syndrome (cytokine storm) is another putative mechanism of myocardial injury. In addition to lung damage, there may be significant cardiac involvement in patients with COVID-19, which is responsible for worsening the clinical condition of the host. The main cardiac manifestations can be oedema, pericarditis, cardiac fibrosis, myocarditis, impairment of contractile function and cardiac electrophysiology. The cardiac status of patients with ongoing SARS-CoV-2 infection of surviving patients in convalescence period should be carefully monitored.

Phytochemical, antimicrobial and antioxidant studies of the leaf extract of Hamelia patens

This study aimed to characterise the different extracts of the leaves of Hamelia patens Jacq. (Rubiaceae) and to evaluate their antibacterial and antioxidant activities in vitro. Phytochemical screening of the leaf extract revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, sterols, tannins and carotenoids. The extracts were further characterised with the help of FTIR and UV-VIS spectroscopy. The antibacterial activity was evaluated by agar well diffusion method and the zone of inhibition was measured. 1,1-diphenyl-2- picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay was used to evaluate the antioxidant capability of the extract. The extract was found effective in inhibiting the growth of both E. coli and S. aureus at 5 μg/mL concentration. The methanolic extract was also found to scavenge DPPH radicals. Although the extract is found effective in the present study, however, further research is required to evaluate the biological activity in higher experimental models.

Cotrimoxazole and teicoplanin in the management of Covid-19: Pleiotropic effects, shadows and lights

At present, coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection, has turned into a global pandemic. Comparable to the H7N9 virus, SARS-CoV-2 causes soaring mortality in elderly patients who have pre-existing chronic diseases. SARS-CoV-2 infects human epithelial cells by binding to human angiotensin-converting enzyme2 (ACE2). Multi-organ failure has been observed in some patients with severe COVID-19. TheACE2 expression profile suggests that SARS-CoV-2 infection may initiate or even directly cause organ failure. In addition to direct infection, evidence shows that an elevated inflammatory immune response is also involved in the pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory activity of the cotrimoxazole (CTX) and teicoplanin are seen in several studies that show the lower concentrations of plasma pro-inflammatory markers like CRP, IL6 in continuous CTX prophylaxis, suggesting its role as anti-inflammatory and immunomodulation. The present review concludes that both teicoplanin and CTX are effective in the management of Covid-19 through anti-SARS-CoV-2 and anti-inflammatory effects as well as controlling of secondary bacterial infections.

Galenic Hospital Laboratory during COVID-19 emergency - A practical experience in an advanced country

In the actual Covid-19 emergency, as pandemic disease, in many countries at the same time, there was the rapid need to use preventive and therapeutic measures to control the diffusion of infection. In PC Area (Italy North) during the period between March and May 2020, there were observed about 1000 deaths related to Covid-19 (in March 2020 +271% death vs 2019). Between all the measures submitted by a public international institution like WHO, OMS, CDC and many others, the deeply use of disinfectants product became a crucial fact in safety procedure and protocols. The high amount of these disinfectants and antiseptic was needed especially in hospital settings or assimilates structure (named as the Covid-19 hospital) but also for territorial healthcare need. So, it was needed to buy these products from industries but also to start an internal production in Galenic Laboratories. This was because of pharmaceutical industries were not provided, in some cases, the requested amount of these safe life products. In this work, we reported a practical experience in a public hospital, PC area related galenic extra-ordinary production of disinfectants and antiseptics. The result of this local experience can be easily translated to other advanced and developing countries in the world.

Antimicrobial activity of the water-soluble ash extract from the invasive weed Parthenium hysterophorus L.

Parthenium hysterophorus L., also known as congress grass or carrot grass, is a widely distributed invasive weed which is a big challenge for sustainable agriculture. For the past several years, a number of attempts have been made to evaluate its medicinal properties. The present study aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of the water-soluble ash extract of P. hysterophorus against different bacterial and fungal pathogens. The disc diffusion method was used to measure zone of inhibition (ZOI) whereas broth microdilution method was used to evaluate minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the extract. The extract was found most effective against Staphylococcus aureus with a ZOI value of 33.5 mm at 33 mg/mL concentration when compared with ofloxacin (ZOI = 39.5 mm at 5 μg/disc). The extract was also found active against Salmonella enterica, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Escherichia coli with ZOI values of 25.5, 32.5 and 25.5 mm, respectively. The present study revealed that the ash extract of P. hysterophorus has potential to inhibit various bacterial species. However, the tested fungal pathogens like Candida albicans were found unaffected after treating with the ash extract.

Brain injury and SARS-CoV-2 infection: Bidirectional pathways

Coronavirus infection disease (COVID-19) is a recent pandemic infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). COVID-19 is associated with different neurological manifestations, as one-third of COVID-19 patients have some neurological disorders, including paraesthesia, headache, cold extremities and disturbances of consciousness, that are more evident in severely affected patients. The entry of SARS-CoV-2 into human host cells is mediated mainly by the cellular receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), which is expressed at very low levels in the CNS under normal conditions. The dissemination of COVID-19 in the systemic circulation or across the cribriform plate of the ethmoid bone during an early or later phase of the infection can lead to cerebral involvement as has been reported in the past for SARS-CoV affected patients. COVID‐19‐related CNS dysfunction results from direct viral injury, indirect consequences of immune‐mediated disease, systemic effects of infection, or local effects of the virus is still a matter of debate and these hypotheses are not mutually exclusive.