A motley of possible therapies of the COVID-19: reminiscing the origin of the pandemic

Herbal-based therapeutics for diabetic patients with SARS-Cov-2 infection

Human SARS Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has infected more than 170 million people worldwide, being responsible for about 3.5 million deaths so far. Despite ongoing investigations, there is still more to understand the mechanism of COVID-19 infection completely. However, it has been evidenced that SARS-CoV-2 can cause Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) notably in diabetic people. Approximately 35% of the patients who died of this disease had diabetes. A growing number of studies have evidenced that hyperglycemia is a significant risk factor for severe SARS-CoV-2 infection and plays a key role in COVID-19 mortality and diabetes comorbidity. The uncontrolled hyperglycemia can produce low-grade inflammation and impaired immunity-mediated cytokine storm that fail multiple organs and sudden death in diabetic patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. More importantly, SARS-CoV-2 infection and interaction with ACE2 receptors also contribute to pancreatic and metabolic impairment. Thus, using of diabetes medications has been suggested to be beneficial in the better management of diabetic COVID-19 patients. Herbal treatments, as safe and affordable therapeutic agents, have recently attracted a lot of attention in this field. Accordingly, in this review, we intend to have a deep look into the molecular mechanisms of diabetic complications in SARS-CoV-2 infection and explore the therapeutic potentials of herbal medications and natural products in the management of diabetic COVID-19 patients based on recent studies and the existing clinical evidence.

SARS-CoV-2 S1 protein causes brain inflammation by reducing intracerebral acetylcholine production

Neurological complications that occur in SARS-CoV-2 infection, such as olfactory dysfunction, brain inflammation, malaise, and depressive symptoms, are thought to contribute to long COVID. However, in autopsies of patients who have died from COVID-19, there is normally no direct evidence that central nervous system damage is due to proliferation of SARS-CoV-2. For this reason, many aspects of the pathogenesis mechanisms of such symptoms remain unknown. Expressing SARS-CoV-2 S1 protein in the nasal cavity of mice was associated with increased apoptosis of the olfactory system and decreased intracerebral acetylcholine production. The decrease in acetylcholine production was associated with brain inflammation, malaise, depressive clinical signs, and decreased expression of the cytokine degrading factor ZFP36. Administering the cholinesterase inhibitor donepezil to the mice improved brain inflammation, malaise and depressive clinical signs. These findings could contribute to the elucidation of the pathogenesis mechanisms of neurological complications associated with COVID-19 and long COVID.

Correlation of covid-19 and Guillain-Barré syndrome: A Mechanistic Perspective

Aims

Coronaviruses, SARS-CoV-2 particles are spherical and have proteins called spikes that stick out on the surface. COVID-19 most commonly affects the respiratory system, but various clinical manifestations on coronavirus have revealed their potential neurotropism. The neuroinvasive affinity of Coronavirus infections has been reported nearly for all the β Coronavirus infections, including MERS-CoV, SARS-CoV, HCoV-OC43 and HEV. Coronavirus invasion occurs through hypoxia injury, immune injury, ACE2, and direct infection. The pathophysiology of SARS-CoV-2 and other human Coronaviruses reveals the possible mechanisms of neurodegeneration.

Methods

A systematic literature review carried out from various search engines like Scopus, PubMed, Medline, and Elsevier for investigating the therapeutic perspective of association between Covid-19 and Guillain-Barré syndrome.

Results

SARS-CoV-2 uses angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 as its entry receptor and enters the central nervous system through a Blood-brain barrier constituted of inflammatory mediators, direct infection of the endothelial cells, or endothelial injury. Guillain-Barré syndrome is an autoimmune disease that injures and attacks the nerves in the peripheral nervous system. Studies suggest that the virus can infect peripheral neurons to cause direct damage through various mechanisms, including direct damage by cytokine-related injury, ACE2 receptors, and the sequelae of hypoxia.

Conclusion

we have discussed the possible mechanisms between neuroinvasion of SARs-cov2 and Guillain-barre syndrome.

Minerals and Antioxidant Micronutrients Levels and Clinical Outcome in Older Patients Hospitalized for COVID-19 during the First Wave of the Pandemic

Excessive inflammatory response has been implicated in severe respiratory forms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Trace elements such as zinc, selenium, and copper are known to modulate inflammation and immunity. This study aimed to assess the relationships between antioxidant vitamins and mineral trace elements levels as well as COVID-19 severity in older adults hospitalized. In this observational retrospective cohort study, the levels of zinc, selenium, copper, vitamin A, β-carotene, and vitamin E were measured in 94 patients within the first 15 days of hospitalization. The outcomes were in-hospital mortality secondary to COVID-19 or severe COVID-19. A logistic regression analysis was conducted to test whether the levels of vitamins and minerals were independently associated with severity. In this cohort (average age of 78 years), severe forms (46%) were associated with lower zinc (p = 0.012) and β-carotene (p < 0.001) concentrations, and in-hospital mortality (15%) was associated with lower zinc (p = 0.009), selenium (p = 0.014), vitamin A (p = 0.001), and β-carotene (p = 0.002) concentrations. In regression analysis, severe forms remained independently associated with lower zinc (aOR 2.13, p = 0.018) concentrations, and death was associated with lower vitamin A (aOR = 0.165, p = 0.021) concentrations. Low plasma concentrations of zinc and vitamin A were associated with poor prognosis in older people hospitalized with COVID-19.

Exploration of Molecular Targets and Mechanisms of Curcumin in the Treatment of COVID-19 with Depression by an Integrative Pharmacology Strategy

BACKGROUND

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) not only causes a range of respiratory symptoms but also has a great impact on individual mental health. With the global pandemic of SARS-CoV-2, the incidence of COVID-19 comorbid with depression has increased significantly. Curcumin, a natural polyphenol compound, has been shown to have antidepressant and anti-coronavirus activities.

METHODS

This study aimed to explore the molecular targets and underlying biological mechanisms of curcumin in the treatment of COVID-19 with depression through an integrative pharmacology strategy, including target prediction, network analysis, PPI analysis, GO and KEGG enrichment analyses, and molecular docking.

RESULTS

After a comprehensive search and thorough analysis, 8 core targets (ALB, AKT1, CASP3, STAT3, EGFR, PTGS2, FOS, and SERPINE1) were identified. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis results revealed that the pathways related to viral infection, immune regulation, neuronal reorganization, apoptosis, and secretion of inflammatory cytokines were involved in the pathological process. Furthermore, molecular docking showed that curcumin could spontaneously bind to the SARS-CoV-2-related receptor proteins and the core targets with a strong binding force.

CONCLUSION

The potential pharmacological mechanisms of curcumin in COVID-19 comorbid depression were evaluated. Curcumin can be used as a therapeutic agent for COVID-19 comorbid depression. One of the potential mechanisms may be to reduce the inflammatory response and suppress the cytokine storm by regulating the JAK-STAT signaling pathway and MAPK signaling pathway. These findings may help to overcome the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on psychological health.