Effective inhibition of MERS-CoV infection by resveratrol

p70S6K as a Potential Anti-COVID-19 Target: Insights from Wet Bench and In Silico Studies

The onset of SARS-CoV-2 infection in 2019 sparked a global COVID-19 pandemic. This infection is marked by a significant rise in both viral and host kinase activity. Our primary objective was to identify a pivotal host kinase essential for COVID-19 infection and the associated phenomenon of the cytokine storm, which may lead to long-term COVID-19 complications irrespective of viral genetic variations. To achieve this, our study tracked kinase phosphorylation dynamics in RAW264.7 macrophages following SPIKE transfection over time. Among the kinases surveyed, p70S6K (RPS6KB1) exhibited a 3.5-fold increase in phosphorylation at S418. This significant change prompted the selection of p70S6K for in silico investigation, utilizing its structure bound to M2698 (PDB: 7N93). M2698, an oral dual Akt/p70S6K inhibitor with an IC50 of 1.1 nM, exhibited psychosis side effects in phase I clinical trials, potentially linked to its interaction with Akt2. Our secondary objective was to discover a small-molecule analogue of M2698 that exhibits a distinct binding preference for p70S6K over Akt2 through computational modeling and analysis. The in silico part of our project began with validating the prediction accuracy of the docking algorithm, followed by an OCA analysis pinpointing specific atoms on M2698 that could be modified to enhance selectivity. Subsequently, our investigation led to the identification of an analog of M2698, designated as S34, that showed a superior docking score towards p70S6K compared to Akt2. To further assess the stability of S34 in its protein-ligand (PL) complexes with p70S6K and Akt2, MD simulations were conducted. These simulations suggest that S34, on average, forms two hydrogen bond interactions with p70S6K, whereas it only forms one hydrogen bond interaction with Akt2. This difference in hydrogen bond interactions likely contributed to the observed larger root mean square deviation (RMSD) of 0.3 nm in the S34-Akt2 complex, compared to 0.1 nm in the S34-p70S6K complex. Additionally, we calculated free binding energy to predict the strength of the binding interactions of S34 to p70S6K and Akt2, which showed ~2-fold favorable binding affinity of S34 in the p70S6K binding pocket compared to that in the Akt2 binding pocket. These observations may suggest that the S34-p70S6K complex is more stable than the S34-Akt2 complex. Our work focused on identifying a host kinase target and predicting the binding affinity of a novel small molecule to accelerate the development of effective treatments. The wet bench results specifically highlight p70S6K as a compelling anti-COVID-19 target. Meanwhile, our in silico investigations address the known off-target effects associated with M2698 by identifying a close analog called S34. In conclusion, this study presents novel and intriguing findings that could potentially lead to clinical applications with further investigations.

Phytochemicals in antiviral drug development against human respiratory viruses

This review explores the potential antiviral properties of various plant-based compounds, including polyphenols, phytochemicals, and terpenoids. It emphasizes the diverse functionalities of compounds such as epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), quercetin, griffithsin (GRFT,) resveratrol, linalool, and carvacrol in the context of respiratory virus infections, including SARS-CoV-2. Emphasizing their effectiveness in modulating immune responses, disrupting viral envelopes, and influencing cellular signaling pathways, the review underlines the imperative for thorough research to establish safety and efficacy. Additionally, the review underscores the necessity of well-designed clinical trials to evaluate the efficacy and safety of these compounds as potential antiviral agents. This approach would establish a robust framework for future drug development efforts focused on bolstering host defense mechanisms against human respiratory viral infections.

Recommendations and guidelines of integrative medicine for COVID-19 care: The APEC project outcome

This article - Recommendations and Guidelines of Integrative Medicine (IM) for COVID-19 Care - was one of the outcomes from an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Project (Integrative Medicine (IM) and COVID -19 Care) during the time between May 2022 and March 2023. With the efforts from care providers, researchers, health policy makers and healthcare administrative leaders among APEC economies, the purpose of this file was to provide comprehensive IM systems for COVID-19 care as recommendations and suggestive guidelines including care methods, tools, procedures, symptom conditions and targets selections, and points need to be considered during care applications. All cited COVID-19 care practices have confirmed their efficacy and usefulness either used alone or combined with conventional medicine. This article provides current useful medical information on IM for COVID-19 care which could benefit APEC economies and world health communities on their healthcare system.

An in silico approach to develop potential therapies against Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV)

A deadly respiratory disease Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) is caused by a perilous virus known as MERS-CoV, which has a severe impact on human health. Currently, there is no approved vaccine, prophylaxis, or antiviral therapeutics for preventing MERS-CoV infection. Due to its inexorable and integral role in the maturation and replication of the MERS-CoV virus, the 3C-like protease is unavoidly a viable therapeutic target. In this study, 2369 phytoconstituents were enlisted from Japanese medicinal plants, and these compounds were screened against 3C-like protease to identify feasible inhibitors. The best three compounds were identified as Kihadanin B, Robustaflavone, and 3-beta-O- (trans-p-Coumaroyl) maslinic acid, with binding energies of -9.8, -9.4, and -9.2 kcal/mol, respectively. The top three potential candidates interacted with several active site residues in the targeted protein, including Cys145, Met168, Glu169, Ala171, and Gln192. The best three compounds were assessed by in silico technique to determine their drug-likeness properties, and they exhibited the least harmful features and the greatest drug-like qualities. Various descriptors, such as solvent-accessible surface area, root-mean-square fluctuation, root-mean-square deviation, hydrogen bond, and radius of gyration, validated the stability and firmness of the protein-ligand complexes throughout the 100ns molecular dynamics simulation. Moreover, the top three compounds exhibited better binding energy along with better stability and firmness than the inhibitor (Nafamostat), which was further confirmed by the binding free energy calculation. Therefore, this computational investigation could aid in the development of efficient therapeutics for life-threatening MERS-CoV infections.

The Mechanism of Anti-Viral Activity of a Novel, Hydroponically Selenium-Enriched Garlic Powder (SelenoForce®) Against SARS-CoV-2 Virus

Abstract

The pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is far from over as new strains are emerging all over the world. Selenium as a micronutrient is important for immunity and also has anti-viral activity.

Objective

The study evaluated the activity of a Selenium enriched garlic powder (SeGP or SelenoForce®) against SARS-CoV-2 viral replication in vitro and explored its possible mechanism of action.

Methods

The anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity assay was carried out in Vero E6 cells in vitro. Human lung carcinoma A549 cells were used to study the antioxidant activity, expression of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE), transmembrane protease, serine 2 (TMPRSS2) and the activity of proprotein convertase, and furin. Anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated in lipopolysaccharide-activated RAW 264.7 cells.

Results

SeGP inhibited the replication of SARS-CoV-2 in Vero E6 cells with an IC50 of 19.59 μg/ml. It exhibited significant antioxidant activity in vitro with IC50 value determined as 43.45 μg/ml. The Selenium enriched product inhibited the expression of ACE and TMPRSS2 and also showed inhibition of furin protease activity. In the presence of SeGP, the secretion of nitric oxide, interleukin -6 and TNF-α were reduced in activated RAW 264.7 macrophages.

Conclusion

The results of the study suggest that Selenium enriched garlic powder could inhibit SARS-CoV-2 multiplication in vitro, reduce oxidative stress and inflammatory mediators suggesting that it could be developed as an effective supplement or adjunct therapy to combat viral infections.

Repurposing of Plant-based Antiviral Molecules for the Treatment of COVID-19

COVID-19, stemming from SARS-CoV-2, poses a formidable threat to global healthcare, with a staggering 77 million confirmed cases and 690,067 deaths recorded till December 24, 2023. Given the absence of specific drugs for this viral infection, the exploration of novel antiviral compounds becomes imperative. High-throughput technologies are actively engaged in drug discovery, and there is a parallel effort to repurpose plant-based molecules with established antiviral properties. In this context, the review meticulously delves into the potential of plant-based folk remedies and existing molecules. These substances have showcased substantial viral inhibition in diverse in vivo, in silico, and in vitro studies, particularly against critical viral protein targets, including SARS-CoV-2. The findings position these plant-based molecules as promising antiviral drug candidates for the swift advancement of treatments for COVID-19. It is noteworthy that the inherent attributes of these plant-based molecules, such as their natural origin, potency, safety, and cost-effectiveness, contribute to their appeal as lead candidates. The review advocates for further exploration through comprehensive in vivo studies conducted on animal models, emphasizing the potential of plant-based compounds to help in the ongoing quest to develop effective antivirals against COVID-19.

'Poly phenolic phytoceutical loaded nano-bilosomes for enhanced caco-2 cell permeability and SARS-CoV 2 antiviral activity': in-vitro and insilico studies

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) predisposed to the emergence of worldwide catastrophe that impels the evolution of safe and effective therapeutic system. Polyphenols as resveratrol (RSV) exhibit a well evidenced antiviral activity. Unfortunately, like most phenolic nutraceuticals, RSV suffers from restrained solubility and massive degradation in GIT and liver which in turn prohibit its clinical use. Herein, PEGylated bilosomes (PBs) contain PEGylated edge activator along with the traditional components as (Span 60, cholesterol and bile salts) were proposed to boost both permeability and bioavailability of RSV. The investigation of the prominent effect of the diverse variables on the characteristics of the vesicles and picking of the optimum formula were conducted via construction of 2³ factorial experiment. The appraisal of the formulae was conducted on the basis of entrapment efficiency percent (EE%), particle size (PS) and zeta potential (ZP). In addition, the spherical shaped optimal formula (F5) exhibited EE% of 86.1 ± 2.9%, PS of 228.9 ± 8.5 nm, and ZP of -39.8 ± 1.3 mV. The sorted optimum formula (F5) exhibited superior dissolution behaviors, and boosted Caco-2 cells cellular uptake by a round 4.7 folds relative to RSV dispersion. In addition, F5 demonstrated a complete in vitro suppression of SARS-CoV-2 at a concentration 0.48 μg/ml with 6.6 times enhancement in antiviral activity relative to RSV dispersion. The accomplished molecular modeling heavily provided proof for the possible interactions of resveratrol with the key residues of the SARS-CoV2 Mpro enzyme. Finally, F5 could be proposed as a promising oral panel of RSV for curation from SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Willow (Salix spp.) bark hot water extracts inhibit both enveloped and non-enveloped viruses: study on its anti-coronavirus and anti-enterovirus activities

Introduction

Recurring viral outbreaks have a significant negative impact on society. This creates a need to develop novel strategies to complement the existing antiviral approaches. There is a need for safe and sustainable antiviral solutions derived from nature.

Objective

This study aimed to investigate the antiviral potential of willow (Salix spp.) bark hot water extracts against coronaviruses and enteroviruses. Willow bark has long been recognized for its medicinal properties and has been used in traditional medicines. However, its potential as a broad-spectrum antiviral agent remains relatively unexplored.

Methods

Cytopathic effect inhibition assay and virucidal and qPCR-based assays were used to evaluate the antiviral potential of the bark extracts. The mechanism of action was investigated using time-of-addition assay, confocal microscopy, TEM, thermal, and binding assays. Extracts were fractionated and screened for their chemical composition using high-resolution LC-MS.

Results

The native Salix samples demonstrated their excellent antiviral potential against the non-enveloped enteroviruses even at room temperature and after 45 s. They were equally effective against the seasonal and pandemic coronaviruses. Confocal microscopy verified the loss of infection capacity by negligible staining of the newly synthesized capsid or spike proteins. Time-of-addition studies demonstrated that Salix bark extract had a direct effect on the virus particles but not through cellular targets. Negative stain TEM and thermal assay showed that antiviral action on enteroviruses was based on the added stability of the virions. In contrast, Salix bark extract caused visible changes in the coronavirus structure, which was demonstrated by the negative stain TEM. However, the binding to the cells was not affected, as verified by the qPCR study. Furthermore, coronavirus accumulated in the cellular endosomes and did not proceed after this stage, based on the confocal studies. None of the tested commercial reference samples, such as salicin, salicylic acid, picein, and triandrin, had any antiviral activity. Fractionation of the extract and subsequent MS analysis revealed that most of the separated fractions were very effective against enteroviruses and contained several different chemical groups such as hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives, flavonoids, and procyanidins.

Conclusion

Salix spp. bark extracts contain several virucidal agents that are likely to act synergistically and directly on the viruses.

A Critical Review on the Potency of Phytoconstituents in the Management of COVID-19

Natural products and their derivatives have traditionally been used as a source of therapeutic agents. Their beneficial properties are due to large varieties in their chemical structures and biochemical actions. The discovery of natural products such as phytoconstituents have crucial role in the development of less toxic and more effective drugs. Phytoconstituents have shown to be beneficial in treating viral diseases such as the previous chikungunya virus, hepatitis C virus, SARS, and MERS viral diseases. Flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids, and other group of compounds combat against COVID-19 in several ways like by protease inhibition, spike protein inhibition, Nrf2 inhibition. The accumulation of NRF2 inhibits the development of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and stimulates anti-inflammatory action. The present review highlights the therapeutic importance of compounds isolated from medicinal plants and/or herbs, such as crude extracts of Curcumin I-III, Leptodactylone, Ginsenoside-Rb1, Lycorine, Reserpine, Saikosaponin B2, Cepharanthine, Withanoside V, Gingerol, Piperanine, chromans, flavonoids, Amentoflavone etc. against SARS-CoV-2. Natural products are typically safe, stable, and dependable source for finding drugs to control the current pandemic. Antiviral secondary metabolites many medicinal plants have given ingredients that were isolated. The selected plants based phytoconstituents may potentially be used against viruses’ development on anti-SARS-CoV-2 to offer a reference point in this field.

An overview on medicinal plants used for combating coronavirus: Current potentials and challenges

Worldwide, Severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic crisis, causing many morbidities, mortality, and devastating impact on economies, so the current outbreak of the CoV-2 is a major concern for global health. The infection spread quickly and caused chaos in many countries around the world. The slow discovery of CoV-2 and the limited treatment options are among the main challenges. Therefore, the development of a drug that is safe and effective against CoV-2 is urgently needed. The present overview briefly summarizes CoV-2 drug targets ex: RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), papain-like protease (PLpro), 3-chymotrypsin-like protease (3CLpro), transmembrane serine protease enzymes (TMPRSS2), angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), structural protein (N, S, E, and M), and virulence factors (NSP1, ORF7a, and NSP3c) for which drug design perspective can be considered. In addition, summarize all anti-COVID-19 medicinal plants and phytocompounds and their mechanisms of action to be used as a guide for further studies.

Drug target of natural products and COVID-19: how far has science progressed?

The new coronavirus [severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)] that caused a viral disease with a high risk of mortality (coronavirus disease 2019) was found toward the end of 2019. This was a significant acute respiratory syndrome. In a brief period, this virus spread throughout the entire planet, causing tremendous loss of life and economic damage. The process of developing new treatments takes time, and there are presently no recognized specific treatments to treat this infection. The most promising participants, who subsequently developed into prospective leads, were dropped from the clinical research in their latter phases. Medication that has previously acquired permission may only be repurposed for use for various medical reasons following a thorough investigation for safety and effectiveness. Because there are now no effective treatments available, natural products are being used haphazardly as antiviral medications and immunity boosters. The fundamental statement that most natural compounds have powerful antiviral action does not apply to SARS-CoV-2. Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus infections are inhibited by natural treatments. According to an in silico study, the virus' nonstructural proteins, including PLpro, Mpro, and RdRp, as well as structural proteins like the spike (S) protein, have been shown to have a strong affinity for several natural products and to be inhibited by them. The virus also suggests that it is a valid candidate for therapeutic research since it utilizes the intracellular angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptor of the host cell. In this study, interesting targets for SARS-CoV-2 medication development are explored, as well as the antiviral properties of some well-known natural compounds.

Impact of nutraceuticals on immunomodulation against viral infections-A review during COVID-19 pandemic in Indian scenario

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) originated in Wuhan, China, in early December 2019 is a censorious global emergency after World War II. Research on the coronavirus uncovered essential information that aided in the development of the vaccine, and specific coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines were later developed and were approved for usage in humans. But then, mutations in the coronavirus gave rise to new variants and questioned the vaccine's efficacy against them. On the other hand, the investigation of traditional medicine was also on its path to find a novel outcome against COVID-19. On a comparative analysis between India and the United States, India had low death rate and high recovery rate than the latter. The dietary regulation of immunity may be the factor that makes the above difference. The immunity gained from the regular diet of Indian culture nourishes Indian people with essential phytochemicals that support immunity and metabolism. Dietary phytochemicals or nutraceuticals possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties, out of which our concern will be on immune-boosting phytochemicals from our daily nutritional supplements. In several case studies, dietary substance like lemon, ginger, and spinach was reported in the recovery of COVID-19 patients. Thus in this review, we discuss coronavirus and its available variants, vaccines, and the effect of nutraceuticals against the coronavirus. Further, we denote that the immunity of the Indian population may be high because of their diet, which adds natural phytochemicals to boost their immunity and metabolism.

Natural Products as a Potential Source of Promising Therapeutics for COVID-19 and Viral Diseases

Background

A global pandemic has recently been observed due to the new coronavirus disease, caused by SARS-CoV-2. Since there are currently no antiviral medicines to combat the highly contagious and lethal COVID-19 infection, identifying natural sources that can either be viricidal or boost the immune system and aid in the fight against the disease can be an essential therapeutic support.

Methods

This review was conducted based on published papers related to the herbal therapy of COVID-19 by search on databases including PubMed and Scopus with herbal, COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, and therapy keywords.

Results

To combat this condition, people may benefit from the therapeutic properties of medicinal plants, such as increasing their immune system or providing an antiviral impact. As a result, SARS-CoV-2 infection death rates can be reduced. Various traditional medicinal plants and their bioactive components, such as COVID-19, are summarized in this article to assist in gathering and debating techniques for combating microbial diseases in general and boosting our immune system in particular.

Conclusion

The immune system benefits from natural products and many of these play a role in activating antibody creation, maturation of immune cells, and stimulation of innate and adaptive immune responses. The lack of particular antivirals for SARS-CoV-2 means that apitherapy might be a viable option for reducing the hazards associated with COVID-19 in the absence of specific antivirals.

The paradigm of prophylactic viral outbreaks measures by microbial biosurfactants

The recent emergence and outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic confirmed the incompetence of countries across the world to deal with a global public health emergency. Although the recent advent of vaccines is an important prophylactic measure, effective clinical therapy for SARS-Cov-2 is yet to be discovered. With the increasing mortality rate, research has been focused on understanding the pathogenic mechanism and clinical parameters to comprehend COVID-19 infection and propose new avenues for naturally occurring molecules with novel therapeutic properties to alleviate the current situation. In accordance with recent clinical studies and SARS-CoV-2 infection markers, cytokine storm and oxidative stress are entwined pathogenic processes in COVID-19 progression. Lately, Biosurfactants (BSs) have been studied as one of the most advanced biomolecules of microbial origin with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiviral properties, antiadhesive, and antimicrobial properties. Therefore, this review inspects available literature and proposes biosurfactants with these properties to be encouraged for their extensive study in dealing with the current pandemic as new pharmaceutics in the prevention and control of viral spread, treating the symptoms developed after the incubation period through different therapeutic approaches and playing a potential drug delivery model.

The exploration of phytocompounds theoretically combats SARS-CoV-2 pandemic against virus entry, viral replication and immune evasion

BACKGROUND

The novel coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) that emerged in China, is an extremely contagious and pathogenic viral infection caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) that has sparked a global pandemic. The few and limited availability of approved therapeutic agents or vaccines is of great concern. Urgently, Remdesivir, Nirmatrelvir, Molnupiravir, and some phytochemicals including polyphenol, flavonoid, alkaloid, and triterpenoid are applied to develop as repurposing drugs against the SARS-CoV-2 invasion.

METHODS

This study was conducted to perform molecular docking and absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion and toxicity (ADMET) analysis of the potential phytocompounds and repurposing drugs against three targets of SARS-CoV-2 proteins (RNA dependent RNA polymerase, RdRp, Endoribonclease, S-protein of ACE2-RBD).

RESULTS

The docking data illustrated Arachidonic acid, Rutin, Quercetin, and Curcumin were highly bound with coronavirus polyprotein replicase and Ebolavirus envelope protein. Furthermore, anti- Ebolavirus molecule Remedesivir, anti-HIV molecule Chloroquine, and Darunavir were repurposed with coronavirus polyprotein replicase as well as Ebolavirus envelope protein. The strongest binding interaction of each targets are Rutin with RdRp, Endoribonclease with Amentoflavone, and ACE2-RBD with Epigallocatechin gallate.

CONCLUSIONS

Taken altogether, these results shed a light on that phytocompounds have a therapeutic potential for the treatment of anti-SARS-CoV-2 may base on multi-target effects or cocktail formulation for blocking viral infection through invasion/activation, transcription/reproduction, and posttranslational cleavage to battle COVID-19 pandemic.

The effect of adherence to high-quality dietary pattern on COVID-19 outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Dietary quality and patterns may influence SARS-CoV-2 infection and outcomes, but scientific data and evidence to support such a role are lacking. Therefore, this meta-analysis aims to elucidate the effect of prepandemic diet quality on the risk of COVID-19 infection and hospitalization. PubMed/MEDLINE, CENTRAL, Scopus, and EMBASE were systematically searched for articles published up to September 1, 2022. A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed to calculate each outcome's risk ratio (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Five studies including 4 023 663 individuals (3 149 784 high-quality diet individuals and 873 881 controls) were included in the present meta-analysis. The effectiveness of high-quality dietary pattern against SARS-CoV-2 infection and hospitalization was 28% (95% CI 19%-36%) and 62% (95% CI 25%-80%); respectively. Subgroup analysis based on different levels of diet quality showed no difference between middle and high levels of diet quality in reducing the risk of COVID-19 infection. Interestingly, subgroup analysis based on the different types of high-quality diets and the risk of COVID-19 infection revealed that the effectiveness of plant-based diet against SARS-CoV-2 infection was 50% (95% CI 30%-65%); while the effectiveness of Mediterranean diet against SARS-CoV-2 infection was 22% (95% CI 12%-31%). Adherence to a high-quality dietary pattern is associated with a lower risk of COVID-19 infection and hospitalization. More studies are required to confirm these findings, and future studies should determine the biological mechanisms underlying the association between diet quality and risk of COVID-19 infection.

Recognizing risk factors associated with poor outcomes among patients with COVID-19

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected >610 million people globally, exerting major social, economic, and health impacts. Despite the large number of global casualities and severe symptomatology associated with COVID-19, a large number of individuals remain at elevated risk of infection and severe outcomes related to poor lifestyle behaviors and/or associated comorbidities. Beyond the well-known social distance and masking policies, maintaining an active lifestyle, minimizing the consumption of tobacco products, and maintaining an adequate nutrition status are some of the key factors that, in an affordable and accessible way, have the potential to improve health and minimize COVID-19 impact. In addition, bringing awareness of the higher risks and poor prognosis of COVID-19 when other conditions are present seems to be essential to protect those individuals with the highest risks.

Drug repurposing approach against chikungunya virus: an in vitro and in silico study

The chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an alphavirus transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes. There are no licenced antivirals or vaccines for treatment or prevention. Drug repurposing approach has emerged as a novel concept to find alternative uses of therapeutics to battle pathogens. In the present study, anti CHIKV activity of fourteen FDA-approved drugs was investigated by in vitro and in silico approaches. Focus-forming unit assay, immunofluorescence test, and quantitative RT-PCR assay were used to assess the in vitro inhibitory effect of these drugs against CHIKV in Vero CCL-81 cells. The findings showed that nine compounds, viz., temsirolimus, 2-fluoroadenine, doxorubicin, felbinac, emetine, lomibuvir, enalaprilat, metyrapone and resveratrol exhibit anti chikungunya activity. Furthermore, in silico molecular docking studies performed by targeting CHIKV structural and non-structural proteins revealed that these drugs can bind to structural protein targets such as envelope protein, and capsid, and non-structural proteins NSP2, NSP3 and NSP4 (RdRp). Findings from in vitro and in silico studies reveal that these drugs can suppress the infection and replication of CHIKV and further in vivo studies followed by clinical trials are warranted.

Suppression of porcine hemagglutinating encephalomyelitis virus replication by resveratrol

BACKGROUND

Porcine hemagglutinating encephalomyelitis virus (PHEV), a member of the genus Betacoronavirus, is the causative agent of neurological disease in pigs. No effective therapeutics are currently available for PHEV infection. Resveratrol has been shown to exert neuroprotective and antiviral effects. Here resveratrol was investigated for its ability to inhibit PHEV replication in nerve cells and central nervous system tissues.

METHODS

Anti-PHEV effect of resveratrol was evaluated using an in vitro cell-based PHEV infection model and employing a mouse PHEV infection model. The collected cells or tissues were used for quantitative PCR analysis, western blot analysis, or indirect immunofluorescence assay. The supernatants were collected to quantify viral loads by TCID₅₀ assay in vitro. EC50 and CC50 were determined by dose-response experiments, and the ratio (EC50/CC50) was used as a selectivity index (SI) to measure the antiviral versus cytotoxic activity.

RESULTS

Our results showed that resveratrol treatment reduced PHEV titer in a dose-dependent manner, with a 50% inhibition concentration of 6.24 μM. A reduction of > 70% of viral protein expression and mRNA copy number and a 19-fold reduction of virus titer were achieved when infected cells were treated with 10 µM resveratrol in a pre-treatment assay. Quantitative PCR analysis and TCID₅₀ assay results revealed that the addition of 10 μM resveratrol to cells after adsorption of PHEV significantly reduced 56% PHEV mRNA copy number and eightfold virus titer. 10 µM resveratrol treatment reduced 46% PHEV mRNA copy number and fourfold virus titer in virus inactivation assay. Moreover, the in vivo data obtained in this work also demonstrated that resveratrol inhibited PHEV replication, and anti-PHEV activities of resveratrol treatment via intranasal installation displayed better than oral gavage.

CONCLUSION

These results indicated that resveratrol exerted antiviral effects under various drug treatment and virus infection conditions in vitro and holds promise as a treatment for PHEV infection in vivo.

Deep variational graph autoencoders for novel host-directed therapy options against COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has been keeping asking urgent questions with respect to therapeutic options. Existing drugs that can be repurposed promise rapid implementation in practice because of their prior approval. Conceivably, there is still room for substantial improvement, because most advanced artificial intelligence techniques for screening drug repositories have not been exploited so far. We construct a comprehensive network by combining year-long curated drug-protein/protein-protein interaction data on the one hand, and most recent SARS-CoV-2 protein interaction data on the other hand. We learn the structure of the resulting encompassing molecular interaction network and predict missing links using variational graph autoencoders (VGAEs), as a most advanced deep learning technique that has not been explored so far. We focus on hitherto unknown links between drugs and human proteins that play key roles in the replication cycle of SARS-CoV-2. Thereby, we establish novel host-directed therapy (HDT) options whose utmost plausibility is confirmed by realistic simulations. As a consequence, many of the predicted links are likely to be crucial for the virus to thrive on the one hand, and can be targeted with existing drugs on the other hand.

Boosting the anti MERS-CoV activity and oral bioavailability of resveratrol via PEG-stabilized emulsomal nano-carrier: Factorial design, in-vitro and in-vivo assessments

Resveratrol (RSV) is a phytoceutical polyphenolic compound exhibiting a well evidenced wide range of therapeutic activities. Unfortunately, its diminished aqueous solubility and extensive metabolism in gastro intestinal tract (GIT) and liver prohibit its biological activity and systemic availability. Herein the conducted study PEG stabilized emulsomes (PEMLs) were customized to enclose RSV aiming to boost its biological availability and antiviral activity. PEGylating the vesicles not only grant the promoted steric stability of the system but also being beneficial in exaggerating the intestinal permeability and extending the period of circulation of the drug, hence its targeted clinical use. The Investigation of the influence of predetermined variables on the physical characterization of formulae (entrapment efficiency EE%, particle size PS and zeta potential ZP) was implemented utilizing Design Expert® software. (F4) with desirability value (0.772), picked to be the optimal formula, which is fabricated utilizing 35 mg compritol as the lipidic core and 60 mg 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-[amino(polyethylene glycol)-2000] (DSPE-Mpeg-2000). The dominance of the F4 relative to RSV dispersion was affirmed by the data acquired from ex-vivo and pharmacokinetic studies. In addition, F4 exhibited significant lower EC₅₀ value (0.0127 µg/mL) relative to that of RSV dispersion(0.338 µg/mL) by around 26 times denoting the capability of the formulation to boost the antiviral activity. To a great extent, F4 was able to significantly suppress the inflammatory response and oxidative stress resulted from MERS-CoV infection on comparison with RSV dispersion. Finally, the potentiality of PEMLs as nano-panel with boosted both antiviral and oral bioavailability for RSV could be deduced based on the outcomes mentioned herein.

Ferulic acid derivatives block coronaviruses HCoV-229E and SARS-CoV-2 replication in vitro

A novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, emerged in China at the end of 2019 causing a large global outbreak. As treatments are of the utmost importance, drugs with broad anti-coronavirus activity embody a rich and rapid drug discovery landscape, where candidate drug compounds could be identified and optimized. To this end, we tested ten small-molecules with chemical structures close to ferulic acid derivatives (FADs) (n = 8), caffeic acid derivatives (CAFDs) (n = 1) and carboxamide derivatives (CAMDs) (n = 1) for their ability to reduce HCoV-229E replication, another member of the coronavirus family. Among these ten drugs tested, five of them namely MBA112, MBA33, MBA27-1, OS4-1 and MBA108-1 were highly cytotoxic and did not warrant further testing. In contrast, we observed a moderate cytotoxicity for two of them, MBA152 and 5c. Three drugs, namely MBA140, LIJ2P40, and MBA28 showed lower cytotoxicity. These candidates were then tested for their antiviral propreties against HCoV-229E and SARS-CoV2 replication. We first observed encouraging results in HCoV-229E. We then measured a reduction of the viral SARS-CoV2 replication by 46% with MBA28 (EC50 > 200 µM), by 58% with MBA140 (EC50 = 176 µM), and by 82% with LIJ2P40 (EC50 = 66.5 µM). Overall, the FAD LIJ2P40 showed a reduction of the viral titer on SARS-CoV-2 up to two logs with moderate cytotoxicity which opens the door to further evaluation to fight Covid-19.

Plant Molecular Pharming and Plant-Derived Compounds towards Generation of Vaccines and Therapeutics against Coronaviruses

The current century has witnessed infections of pandemic proportions caused by Coronaviruses (CoV) including severe acute respiratory syndrome-related CoV (SARS-CoV), Middle East respiratory syndrome-related CoV (MERS-CoV) and the recently identified SARS-CoV2. Significantly, the SARS-CoV2 outbreak, declared a pandemic in early 2020, has wreaked devastation and imposed intense pressure on medical establishments world-wide in a short time period by spreading at a rapid pace, resulting in high morbidity and mortality. Therefore, there is a compelling need to combat and contain the CoV infections. The current review addresses the unique features of the molecular virology of major Coronaviruses that may be tractable towards antiviral targeting and design of novel preventative and therapeutic intervention strategies. Plant-derived vaccines, in particular oral vaccines, afford safer, effectual and low-cost avenues to develop antivirals and fast response vaccines, requiring minimal infrastructure and trained personnel for vaccine administration in developing countries. This review article discusses recent developments in the generation of plant-based vaccines, therapeutic/drug molecules, monoclonal antibodies and phytochemicals to preclude and combat infections caused by SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 viruses. Efficacious plant-derived antivirals could contribute significantly to combating emerging and re-emerging pathogenic CoV infections and help stem the tide of any future pandemics.

The potential for traditional Chinese therapy in treating sleep disorders caused by COVID-19 through the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway

Since the outbreak of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in 2019, it has spread rapidly across the globe. Sleep disorders caused by COVID-19 have become a major concern for COVID-19 patients and recovered patients. So far, there’s no effective therapy on this. Traditional Chinese therapy (TCT) has a great effect on sleep disorders, with rare side effects and no obvious withdrawal symptoms. The cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway, a neuroregulatory pathway in the central nervous system that uses cholinergic neurons and neurotransmitters to suppress inflammatory responses, has been reported to be associated with sleep disorders and psychiatric symptoms. Many studies have shown that TCT activates the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway (CAP), inhibits inflammation, and relieves associated symptoms. Therefore, we believe that TCT may be a potential therapeutic strategy to alleviate sleep disorders induced by COVID-19 through CAP. In this review, we analyzed the relationship between cytokine storm induced by Coronavirus and sleep disorders, explained the influence of CAP on sleep disorders, discussed the TCT’s effect on CAP, and summarized the treatment effect of TCT on sleep disorders. Based on these practical researches and theoretical basis, we propose potential strategies to effectively improve the sleep disorders caused by COVID-19.

Antiviral and Anti-Inflammatory Plant-Derived Bioactive Compounds and Their Potential Use in the Treatment of COVID-19-Related Pathologies

The highly contagious coronavirus disease (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has been declared a global pandemic and public health emergency as it has taken the lives of over 5.7 million in more than 180 different countries. This disease is characterized by respiratory tract symptoms, such as dry cough and shortness of breath, as well as other symptoms, including fever, chills, and fatigue. COVID-19 is also characterized by the excessive release of cytokines causing inflammatory injury to the lungs and other organs. It is advised to undergo precautionary measures, such as vaccination, social distancing, use of masks, hygiene, and a healthy diet. This review is aimed at summarizing the pathophysiology of COVID-19 and potential biologically active compounds (bioactive) found in plants and plant food. We conclude that many plant food bioactive compounds exhibit antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties and support in attenuating organ damage due to reduced cytokine release and improving the recovery process from COVID-19 infection.

New Insights into Dietary Pterostilbene: Sources, Metabolism, and Health Promotion Effects

Pterostilbene (PTS), a compound most abundantly found in blueberries, is a natural analog of resveratrol. Several plant species, such as peanuts and grapes, produce PTS. While resveratrol has been extensively studied for its antioxidant properties, recent evidence also points out the diverse therapeutic potential of PTS. Several studies have identified the robust pharmacodynamic features of PTS, including better intestinal absorption and elevated hepatic stability than resveratrol. Indeed, due to its higher bioavailability paired with reduced toxicity compared to other stilbenes, PTS has become an attractive drug candidate for the treatment of several disease conditions, including diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative disorders, and aging. This review article provides an extensive summary of the nutraceutical potential of PTS in various disease conditions while discussing the crucial mechanistic pathways implicated. In particular, we share insights from our studies about the Nrf2-mediated effect of PTS in diabetes and associated complications. Moreover, we elucidate the important sources of PTS and discuss in detail its pharmacokinetics and the range of formulations and routes of administration used across experimental studies and human clinical trials. Furthermore, this review also summarizes the strategies successfully used to improve dietary availability and the bio-accessibility of PTS.

Sirtfoods: New Concept Foods, Functions, and Mechanisms

Sirtfood is a new concept food that compounds diets that can target sirtuins (SIRTs). SIRTs are nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD⁺)-dependent deacylases and ADP-ribosyltransferases (enzymes). SIRTs are mediators of calorie restriction (CR) and their activation can achieve some effects similar to CR. SIRTs play essential roles in ameliorating obesity and age-related metabolic diseases. Food ingredients such as resveratrol, piceatannol, anthocyanidin, and quinine are potential modulators of SIRTs. SIRT modulators are involved in autophagy, apoptosis, aging, inflammation, and energy homeostasis. Sirtfood proponents believe that natural Sirtfood recipes exert significant health effects.

Understanding the epigenetic mechanisms in SARS CoV-2 infection and potential therapeutic approaches

COVID-19 pandemic caused by the Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS- CoV-2) has inflicted a global health challenge. Although the overwhelming escalation of mortality seen during the initial phase of the pandemic has reduced, emerging variants of SARS-CoV-2 continue to impact communities worldwide. Several studies have highlighted the association of gene specific epigenetic modifications in host cells with the pathogenesis and severity of the disease. Therefore, alongside the investigations into the virology and pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 infection, understanding the epigenetic mechanisms related to the disease is crucial for the rational design of effective targeted therapies. Here, we discuss the interaction of SARS-CoV-2 with the various epigenetic regulators and their subsequent contribution to the risk of disease severity and dysfunctional immune responses. Finally, we also highlight the use of epigenetically targeted drugs for the potential therapeutic interventions capable of eliminating viral infection and/or build effective immunity against it.

Japanese Knotweed Rhizome Bark Extract Inhibits Live SARS-CoV-2 In Vitro

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a viral infectious respiratory disease, is caused by highly contagious severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and is responsible for the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Since very few drugs are known to be effective against SARS-CoV-2, there is a general need for new therapeutics, including plant-based drugs, for the prophylaxis and treatment of infections. In the current study, the activity of a 70% ethanolic(aq) extract of the rhizome bark of Japanese knotweed, an invasive alien plant species, was tested for the first time against the wild-type SARS-CoV-2 virus using a specific and robust virus neutralization test (VNT) on Vero-E6 cells, which best mimics the mechanism of real virus−host interaction. A statistically significant antiviral effect against SARS-CoV-2 (p-value < 0.05) was observed for the 50.8 µg mL−1 extract solution in cell medium. A suitable extract preparation was described to avoid loss of polyphenols throughout filtration of the extract, which was dissolved in cell medium containing fetal bovine serum (FBS). The significance of the differences between the sums of the test and control groups in the incidence of cytopathic effects (CPE) was determined using the one-way ANOVA test. A dose−response relationship was observed, with the cytotoxic effect occurring at higher concentrations of the extract (≥101.6 µg mL−1). The obtained results suggest possible use of this plant material for the production of various products (e.g., packaging, hygiene products, biodisinfectants, etc.) that would be useful against the spread of and for self-protection against COVID-19.

Effects of Resveratrol, Curcumin and Quercetin Supplementation on Bone Metabolism—A Systematic Review

Phenolic compounds are natural phytochemicals that have recently reported numerous health benefits. Resveratrol, curcumin, and quercetin have recently received the most attention among these molecules due to their documented antioxidant effects. The review aims to investigate the effects of these molecules on bone metabolism and their role in several diseases such as osteopenia and osteoporosis, bone tumours, and periodontitis. The PubMed/Medline, Web of Science, Google Scholar, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and Embase electronic databases were searched for papers in line with the study topic. According to an English language restriction, the screening period was from January 2012 to 3 July 2022, with the following Boolean keywords: (“resveratrol” AND “bone”); (“curcumin” AND “bone”); (“quercetin” AND “bone”). A total of 36 papers were identified as relevant to the purpose of our investigation. The studies reported the positive effects of the investigated phenolic compounds on bone metabolism and their potential application as adjuvant treatments for osteoporosis, bone tumours, and periodontitis. Furthermore, their use on the titanium surfaces of orthopaedic prostheses could represent a possible application to improve the osteogenic processes and osseointegration. According to the study findings, resveratrol, curcumin, and quercetin are reported to have a wide variety of beneficial effects as supplement therapies. The investigated phenolic compounds seem to positively mediate bone metabolism and osteoclast-related pathologies.

Recent Overview of Resveratrol's Beneficial Effects and Its Nano-Delivery Systems

Highlights

Abstract

Natural polyphenols have a wide variety of biological activities and are taken into account as healthcare materials. Resveratrol is one such natural polyphenol, belonging to a group known as stilbenoids (STBs). Resveratrol (3,5,4′-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene) is mainly found in grapes, wine, nuts, and berries. A wide range of biological activities has been demonstrated by resveratrol, including antimicrobial, antioxidant, antiviral, antifungal, and antiaging effects, and many more are still under research. However, as with many other plant-based polyphenol products, resveratrol suffers from low bioavailability once administered in vivo due to its susceptibility to rapid enzyme degradation by the body’s innate immune system before it can exercise its therapeutic influence. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance to ensure the best use of resveratrol by creating a proper resveratrol delivery system. Nanomedicine and nanodelivery systems utilize nanoscale materials as diagnostic tools or to deliver therapeutic agents in a controlled manner to specifically targeted locations. After a brief introduction about polyphenols, this review overviews the physicochemical characteristics of resveratrol, its beneficial effects, and recent advances on novel nanotechnological approaches for its delivery according to the type of nanocarrier utilized. Furthermore, the article summarizes the different potential applications of resveratrol as, for example, a therapeutic and disease-preventing anticancer and antiviral agent.

Randomized double-blind placebo-controlled proof-of-concept trial of resveratrol for outpatient treatment of mild coronavirus disease (COVID-19)

Resveratrol is a polyphenol that has been well studied and has demonstrated anti-viral and anti-inflammatory properties that might mitigate the effects of COVID-19. Outpatients (N = 105) were recruited from central Ohio in late 2020. Participants were randomly assigned to receive placebo or resveratrol. Both groups received a single dose of Vitamin D3 which was used as an adjunct. The primary outcome measure was hospitalization within 21 days of symptom onset; secondary measures were ER visits, incidence of pneumonia, and incidence of pulmonary embolism. Five patients chose not to participate after randomization. Twenty-one-day outcome was determined of all one hundred participants (mean [SD] age 55.6 [8.8] years; 61% female). There were no clinically significant adverse events attributed to resveratrol. Outpatients in this phase 2 study treated with resveratrol had a lower incidence compared to placebo of: hospitalization (2% vs. 6%, RR 0.33, 95% CI 0.04-3.10), COVID-19 related ER visits (8% vs. 14%, RR 0.57, 95% CI 0.18-1.83), and pneumonia (8% vs. 16%, RR 0.5, 95% CI 0.16-1.55). One patient (2%) in each group developed pulmonary embolism (RR 1.00, 95% CI: 0.06-15.55). This underpowered study was limited by small sample size and low incidence of primary adverse events consequently the results are statistically similar between treatment arms. A larger trial could determine efficacy.Trial Registrations: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04400890 26/05/2020; FDA IND #150033 05/05/2020.

Bioinformatics and System Biology Approach to Reveal the Interaction Network and the Therapeutic Implications for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients With COVID-19

Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the leading cause of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), is an emerging global health crisis. Lung cancer patients are at a higher risk of COVID-19 infection. With the increasing number of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with COVID-19, there is an urgent need of efficacious drugs for the treatment of COVID-19/NSCLC.

Methods: Based on a comprehensive bioinformatic and systemic biological analysis, this study investigated COVID-19/NSCLC interactional hub genes, detected common pathways and molecular biomarkers, and predicted potential agents for COVID-19 and NSCLC.

Results: A total of 122 COVID-19/NSCLC interactional genes and 21 interactional hub genes were identified. The enrichment analysis indicated that COVID-19 and NSCLC shared common signaling pathways, including cell cycle, viral carcinogenesis, and p53 signaling pathway. In total, 10 important transcription factors (TFs) and 44 microRNAs (miRNAs) participated in regulations of 21 interactional hub genes. In addition, 23 potential candidates were predicted for the treatment of COVID-19 and NSCLC.

Conclusion: This study increased our understanding of pathophysiology and screened potential drugs for COVID-19 and NSCLC.

Antiviral Activity of Medicinal Plants against Human Coronavirus: a systematic scoping review of and experimentations

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the and studies of natural compounds and medicinal plants with anti-coronavirus activity.

METHODS

A systematic review was performed based on Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses and Animal Research: Reporting of experiments guidelines to find data for medicinal plants and natural products effective against human coronaviruses in or studies. Studies published up to September 6, 2020 were included. Studies ( or ) reporting the effect of medicinal plants and natural products or their derivatives on human coronavirus were included RESULTS: Promising anti-coronavirus effects are seen with different herbal compounds like some diterpenoids, sesquiterpenoids, and three compounds in tea with 3CLpro inhibiting effect of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV); Hirsutenone, Six cinnamic amides and bavachinin are PLpro inhibitors and Tanshinones are active on both 3CLpro and PLpro. Some flavonoid compounds of Citrus fruits act on Immun-oregulation and target angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 which is used by SARS-COV for entry. Virus helicase is possibly inhibited by two compounds myricetin and scutellarein.

CONCLUSION

This review shows that complementary medicine have the potential for new drug discovery against coronavirus. Further research is needed before definitive conclusions can be made concerning the safety and efficacy of the use of these medicinal plants.

Natural therapeutics and nutraceuticals for lung diseases: Traditional significance, phytochemistry, and pharmacology

BACKGROUND

Lung diseases including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), infections like influenza, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), asthma and pneumonia lung cancer (LC) are common causes of sickness and death worldwide due to their remoteness, cold and harsh climatic conditions, and inaccessible health care facilities.

PURPOSE

Many drugs have already been proposed for the treatment of lung diseases. Few of them are in clinical trials and have the potential to cure infectious diseases. Plant extracts or herbal products have been extensively used as Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Indian Ayurveda. Moreover, it has been involved in the inhibition of certain genes/protiens effects to promote regulation of signaling pathways. Natural remedies have been scientifically proven with remarkable bioactivities and are considered a cheap and safe source for lung disease.

METHODS

This comprehensive review highlighted the literature about traditional plants and their metabolites with their applications for the treatment of lung diseases through experimental models in humans. Natural drugs information and mode of mechanism have been studied through the literature retrieved by Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, SciFinder, Scopus and Medline PubMed resources against lung diseases.

RESULTS

In vitro, in vivo and computational studies have been explained for natural metabolites derived from plants (like flavonoids, alkaloids, and terpenoids) against different types of lung diseases. Probiotics have also been biologically active therapeutics against cancer, anti-inflammation, antiplatelet, antiviral, and antioxidants associated with lung diseases.

CONCLUSION

The results of the mentioned natural metabolites repurposed for different lung diseases especially for SARS-CoV-2 should be evaluated more by advance computational applications, experimental models in the biological system, also need to be validated by clinical trials so that we may be able to retrieve potential drugs for most challenging lung diseases especially SARS-CoV-2.

Next Generation Ingredients Based on Winemaking By-Products and an Approaching to Antiviral Properties

Management of waste and use of winemaking by-products plays an important role in the development of new ingredients, especially with antiviral properties. Although the richness of bioactive compounds from wine waste is known, less is known about potential antiviral action. Bioactive compounds and health-enhancing effects of winery by-products make them potential candidates for use in antiviral ingredients. The design of new formulations by using nano-microencapsulation techniques will be necessary to successfully control diseases produced by viruses. Outcomes about the use of winery by-products, bioactive compounds found in winery wastes, green extraction techniques to concentrate these compounds, and development of formulations to obtain new ingredients were extracted from research around the world to be discussed and updated in this manuscript. The evidence collected in this review aims to encourage transfer of in vitro and in vivo knowledge to a new step for the development of antiviral and treatments.

A Review on the Antiviral Activity of Functional Foods Against COVID-19 and Viral Respiratory Tract Infections

Due to the absence of successful therapy, vaccines for protection are continuously being developed. Since vaccines must be thoroughly tested, viral respiratory tract infections (VRTIs), mainly coronaviruses, have seriously affected human health worldwide in recent years. In this review, we presented the relevant data which originated from trusted publishers regarding the practical benefits of functional foods (FFs) and their dietary sources, in addition to natural plant products, in viral respiratory and COVID-19 prevention and immune-boosting activities. As a result, FFs were confirmed to be functionally active ingredients for preventing COVID-19 and VRTIs. Furthermore, the antiviral activity and immunological effects of FFs against VRTIs and COVID-19 and their potential main mechanisms of action are also being reviewed. Therefore, to prevent COVID-19 and VRTIs, it is critical to identify controlling the activities and immune-enhancing functional food constituents as early as possible. We further aimed to summarize functional food constituents as a dietary supplement that aids in immune system boosting and may effectively reduce VRTIs and COVID-19 and promote therapeutic efficacy.

Bioactive Based Nanocarriers for the Treatment of Viral Infections and SARS-CoV-2

Since ancient times, plants have been used for their medicinal properties. They provide us with many phytomolecules, which serve a synergistic function for human well-being. Along with anti-microbial, plants also possess anti-viral activities. In Western nations, about 50% of medicines were extracted from plants or their constituents. The spread and pandemic of viral diseases are becoming a major threat to public health and a burden on the financial prosperity of communities worldwide. In recent years, SARS-CoV-2 has made a dramatic lifestyle change. This has promoted scientists not to use synthetic anti-virals, such as protease inhibitors, nucleic acid analogs, and other anti-virals, but to study less toxic anti-viral phytomolecules. An emerging approach includes searching for eco-friendly therapeutic molecules to develop phytopharmaceuticals. This article briefly discusses numerous bioactive molecules that possess anti-viral properties, their mode of action, and possible applications in treating viral diseases, with a special focus on coronavirus and various nano-formulations used as a carrier for the delivery of phytoconstituents for improved bioavailability.

Interactome of SARS-CoV-2 Modulated Host Proteins With Computationally Predicted PPIs: Insights From Translational Systems Biology Studies

Accelerated efforts to identify intervention strategies for the COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 need to be supported by deeper investigations into host invasion and response mechanisms. We constructed the neighborhood interactome network of the 332 human proteins targeted by SARS-CoV-2 proteins, augmenting it with 1,941 novel human protein-protein interactions predicted using our High-precision Protein-Protein Interaction Prediction (HiPPIP) model. Novel interactors, and the interactome as a whole, showed significant enrichment for genes differentially expressed in SARS-CoV-2-infected A549 and Calu-3 cells, postmortem lung samples of COVID-19 patients and blood samples of COVID-19 patients with severe clinical outcomes. The PPIs connected host proteins to COVID-19 blood biomarkers, ACE2 (SARS-CoV-2 entry receptor), genes differentiating SARS-CoV-2 infection from other respiratory virus infections, and SARS-CoV-targeted host proteins. Novel PPIs facilitated identification of the cilium organization functional module; we deduced the potential antiviral role of an interaction between the virus-targeted NUP98 and the cilia-associated CHMP5. Functional enrichment analyses revealed promyelocytic leukaemia bodies, midbody, cell cycle checkpoints and tristetraprolin pathway as potential viral targets. Network proximity of diabetes and hypertension associated genes to host proteins indicated a mechanistic basis for these co-morbidities in critically ill/non-surviving patients. Twenty-four drugs were identified using comparative transcriptome analysis, which include those undergoing COVID-19 clinical trials, showing broad-spectrum antiviral properties or proven activity against SARS-CoV-2 or SARS-CoV/MERS-CoV in cell-based assays. The interactome is available on a webserver at http://severus.dbmi.pitt.edu/corona/.

Inclusion of a Phytomedicinal Flavonoid in Biocompatible Surface-Modified Chylomicron Mimic Nanovesicles with Improved Oral Bioavailability and Virucidal Activity: Molecular Modeling and Pharmacodynamic Studies

Morin hydrate (MH) is a widely-used Asian phytomedicinal flavonoid with a wide range of reported therapeutic activities. However, MH has limited oral bioavailability due to its low aqueous solubility and intestinal permeability, which in turn hinders its potential antiviral activity. The study reported herein was designed to encapsulate MH in polyethyleneglycolated (PEGylated) chylomicrons (PCMs) and to boost its antiviral activity and biological availability for oral administration using a rat experimental model. The PEGylated edge activator combined with the conventional components of chylomicrons (CMs) amplify the transport of the drug across the intestine and its circulation period, hence its therapeutic impact. The implementation of variables in the in vitro characterization of the vesicles was investigated. Using Design Expert^® software, a 2⁴ factorial design was conducted, and the resulting PCM formulations were fabricated utilizing a thin-film hydration technique. The efficacy of the formulations was assessed according to their zeta potential (ZP), entrapment efficiency percentage (EE%), amount of drug released after 8 h (Q8h), and particle size (PS) data. Formulation F9, which was deemed to be the optimal formula, used compritol as the lipidic core together in defined amounts with phosphatidylcholine (PC) and Brij52. Computer-aided studies revealed that MH alone in a suspension had both diminished intestinal permeability and absorption, but was enhanced when loaded in PCMs. This was affirmed by the superiority of formulation F9 results in ex vivo permeation and pharmacokinetic studies. Furthermore, formulation F9 had a superior safety profile and antiviral activity over a pure MH suspension. Molecular-docking studies revealed the capability of MH to inhibit MERS-CoV 3CL^pro, the enzyme shown to exhibit a crucial role in viral replication. Additionally, F9 suppressed both MERS-CoV-induced histopathological alteration in lung tissue and resulting oxidative and inflammatory biomarkers. Collectively, the results reported herein affirmed the potential of PCMs as nanocarriers for the effective oral administration of MH as an antiviral.

Docking Analysis of Some Bioactive Compounds from Traditional Plants against SARS-CoV-2 Target Proteins

COVID-19 is still a global pandemic that has not been stopped. Many traditional medicines have been demonstrated to be incredibly helpful for treating COVID-19 patients while fighting the disease worldwide. We introduced 10 bioactive compounds derived from traditional medicinal plants and assessed their potential for inhibiting viral spike protein (S-protein), Papain-like protease (PLpro), and RNA dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) using molecular docking protocols where we simulate the inhibitors bound to target proteins in various poses and at different known binding sites using Autodock version 4.0 and Chimera 1.8.1 software. Results found that the chicoric acid, quinine, and withaferin A ligand strongly inhibited CoV-2 S -protein with a binding energy of -8.63, -7.85, and -7.85 kcal/mol, respectively. Our modeling work also suggested that curcumin, quinine, and demothoxycurcumin exhibited high binding affinity toward RdRp with a binding energy of -7.80, -7.80, and -7.64 kcal/mol, respectively. The other ligands, namely chicoric acid, demothoxycurcumin, and curcumin express high binding energy than the other tested ligands docked to PLpro with -7.62, -6.81, and -6.70 kcal/mol, respectively. Prediction of drug-likeness properties revealed that all tested ligands have no violations to Lipinski's Rule of Five except cepharanthine, chicoric acid, and theaflavin. Regarding the pharmacokinetic behavior, all ligand predicted to have high GI-absorption except chicoric acid and theaflavin. At the same way chicoric acid, withaferin A, and withanolide D predicted to be substrate for multidrug resistance protein (P-gp substrate). Caffeic acid, cepharanthine, chicoric acid, withaferin A, and withanolide D also have no inhibitory effect on any cytochrome P450 enzymes. Promisingly, chicoric acid, quinine, curcumin, and demothoxycurcumin exhibited high binding affinity on SARS-CoV-2 target proteins and expressed good drug-likeness and pharmacokinetic properties. Further research is required to investigate the potential uses of these compounds in the treatment of SARS-CoV-2.

Long COVID-19 in Children: From the Pathogenesis to the Biologically Plausible Roots of the Syndrome

Long Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) refers to the persistence of symptoms related to the infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). This condition is described as persistent and can manifest in various combinations of signs and symptoms, such as fatigue, headache, dyspnea, depression, cognitive impairment, and altered perception of smells and tastes. Long COVID-19 may be due to long-term damage to different organs-such as lung, brain, kidney, and heart-caused by persisting viral-induced inflammation, immune dysregulation, autoimmunity, diffuse endothelial damage, and micro thrombosis. In this review, we discuss the potential and biologically plausible role of some vitamins, essential elements, and functional foods based on the hypothesis that an individual's dietary status may play an important adjunctive role in protective immunity against COVID-19 and possibly against its long-term consequences.

The Importance of Nutraceuticals in COVID-19: What's the Role of Resveratrol?

Since COVID-19 has affected global public health, there has been an urgency to find a solution to limit both the number of infections, and the aggressiveness of the disease once infected. The main characteristic of this infection is represented by a strong alteration of the immune system which, day by day, increases the risk of mortality, and can lead to a multiorgan dysfunction. Because nutritional profile can influence patient’s immunity, we focus our interest on resveratrol, a polyphenolic compound known for its immunomodulating and anti-inflammatory properties. We reviewed all the information concerning the different roles of resveratrol in COVID-19 pathophysiology using PubMed and Scopus as the main databases. Interestingly, we find out that resveratrol may exert its role through different mechanisms. In fact, it has antiviral activity inhibiting virus entrance in cells and viral replication. Resveratrol also improves autophagy and decreases pro-inflammatory agents expression acting as an anti-inflammatory agent. It regulates immune cell response and pro-inflammatory cytokines and prevents the onset of thrombotic events that usually occur in COVID-19 patients. Since resveratrol acts through different mechanisms, the effect could be enhanced, making a totally natural agent particularly effective as an adjuvant in anti COVID-19 therapy.

Identification of host transcriptome-guided repurposable drugs for SARS-CoV-1 infections and their validation with SARS-CoV-2 infections by using the integrated bioinformatics approaches

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is one of the most severe global pandemic due to its high pathogenicity and death rate starting from the end of 2019. Though there are some vaccines available against SAER-CoV-2 infections, we are worried about their effectiveness, due to its unstable sequence patterns. Therefore, beside vaccines, globally effective supporting drugs are also required for the treatment against SARS-CoV-2 infection. To explore commonly effective repurposable drugs for the treatment against different variants of coronavirus infections, in this article, an attempt was made to explore host genomic biomarkers guided repurposable drugs for SARS-CoV-1 infections and their validation with SARS-CoV-2 infections by using the integrated bioinformatics approaches. At first, we identified 138 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between SARS-CoV-1 infected and control samples by analyzing high throughput gene-expression profiles to select drug target key receptors. Then we identified top-ranked 11 key DEGs (SMAD4, GSK3B, SIRT1, ATM, RIPK1, PRKACB, MED17, CCT2, BIRC3, ETS1 and TXN) as hub genes (HubGs) by protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis of DEGs highlighting their functions, pathways, regulators and linkage with other disease risks that may influence SARS-CoV-1 infections. The DEGs-set enrichment analysis significantly detected some crucial biological processes (immune response, regulation of angiogenesis, apoptotic process, cytokine production and programmed cell death, response to hypoxia and oxidative stress), molecular functions (transcription factor binding and oxidoreductase activity) and pathways (transcriptional mis-regulation in cancer, pathways in cancer, chemokine signaling pathway) that are associated with SARS-CoV-1 infections as well as SARS-CoV-2 infections by involving HubGs. The gene regulatory network (GRN) analysis detected some transcription factors (FOXC1, GATA2, YY1, FOXL1, TP53 and SRF) and micro-RNAs (hsa-mir-92a-3p, hsa-mir-155-5p, hsa-mir-106b-5p, hsa-mir-34a-5p and hsa-mir-19b-3p) as the key transcriptional and post- transcriptional regulators of HubGs, respectively. We also detected some chemicals (Valproic Acid, Cyclosporine, Copper Sulfate and arsenic trioxide) that may regulates HubGs. The disease-HubGs interaction analysis showed that our predicted HubGs are also associated with several other diseases including different types of lung diseases. Then we considered 11 HubGs mediated proteins and their regulatory 6 key TFs proteins as the drug target proteins (receptors) and performed their docking analysis with the SARS-CoV-2 3CL protease-guided top listed 90 anti-viral drugs out of 3410. We found Rapamycin, Tacrolimus, Torin-2, Radotinib, Danoprevir, Ivermectin and Daclatasvir as the top-ranked 7 candidate-drugs with respect to our proposed target proteins for the treatment against SARS-CoV-1 infections. Then, we validated these 7 candidate-drugs against the already published top-ranked 11 target proteins associated with SARS-CoV-2 infections by molecular docking simulation and found their significant binding affinity scores with our proposed candidate-drugs. Finally, we validated all of our findings by the literature review. Therefore, the proposed candidate-drugs might play a vital role for the treatment against different variants of SARS-CoV-2 infections with comorbidities, since the proposed HubGs are also associated with several comorbidities.

Benefits and Implications of Resveratrol Supplementation on Microbiota Modulations: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Resveratrol is a polyphenol that has been shown to possess many applications in different fields of medicine. This systematic review has drawn attention to the axis between resveratrol and human microbiota, which plays a key role in maintaining an adequate immune response that can lead to different diseases when compromised. Resveratrol can also be an asset in new technologies, such as gene therapy. PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar were searched to find papers that matched our topic dating from 1 January 2017 up to 18 January 2022, with English-language restriction using the following Boolean keywords: ("resveratrol" AND "microbio*"). Eighteen studies were included as relevant papers matching the purpose of our investigation. Immune response, prevention of thrombotic complications, microbiota, gene therapy, and bone regeneration were retrieved as the main topics. The analyzed studies mostly involved resveratrol supplementation and its effects on human microbiota by trials in vitro, in vivo, and ex vivo. The beneficial activity of resveratrol is evident by analyzing the changes in the host's genetic expression and the gastrointestinal microbial community with its administration. The possibility of identifying individual microbial families may allow to tailor therapeutic plans with targeted polyphenolic diets when associated with microbial dysbiosis, such as inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, degenerative diseases, tumors, obesity, diabetes, bone tissue regeneration, and metabolic syndrome.

The prognostic role of micronutrient status and supplements in COVID-19 outcomes: A systematic review

Micronutrients constitute an adjuvant treatment for respiratory viral infections. Since there is no effective antiviral therapy for COVID-19 yet, adjuvant intervention for the survival of critically ill patients may be significant. Search of the PubMed, CINAHL and Cochrane databases was carried out to find human studies investigating the prognostic role of micronutrient status and the effects of micronutrient supplementation intervention in COVID-19 outcomes of adult patients. Patients with certain comorbidities (diabetes mellitus type 2, obesity, renal failure, liver dysfunction etc.) or pregnant women were excluded. 31 studies (27 observational studies and 4 clinical trials) spanning the years 2020-2021, pertaining to 8624 COVID-19 patients (mean age±SD, 61 ± 9 years) were included in this systematic review. Few studies provided direct evidence on the association of serum levels of vitamin D, calcium, zinc, magnesium, phosphorus and selenium to patients' survival or death. Vitamin D and calcium were the most studied micronutrients and those with a probable promising favorable impact on patients. This review highlights the importance of a balanced nutritional status for a favorable outcome in COVID-19. Micronutrients' deficiency on admission to hospital seems to be related to a high risk for ICU admission, intubation and even death. Nevertheless, evidence for intervention remains unclear.

The potential role of resveratrol as supportive antiviral in treating conditions such as COVID-19 - A formulator's perspective

With an increased transmissibility but milder form of disease of the omicron variant of COVID-19 and the newer antivirals often still out of reach of many populations, a refocus of the current treatment regimens is required. Safe, affordable, and available adjuvant treatments should also be considered and known drugs and substances need to be repurposed and tested. Resveratrol, a well-known antioxidant of natural origin, shown to act as an antiviral as well as playing a role in immune stimulation, down regulation of the pro-inflammatory cytokine release and reducing lung injury by reducing oxidative stress, is such an option. New initiatives and collaborations will however need to be found to unleash resveratrol's full potential in the pharmaceutical market.

Autophagy Modulators in Coronavirus Diseases: A Double Strike in Viral Burden and Inflammation

Coronaviruses are the etiologic agents of several diseases. Coronaviruses of critical medical importance are characterized by highly inflammatory pathophysiology, involving severe pulmonary impairment and infection of multiple cell types within the body. Here, we discuss the interplay between coronaviruses and autophagy regarding virus life cycle, cell resistance, and inflammation, highlighting distinct mechanisms by which autophagy restrains inflammatory responses, especially those involved in coronavirus pathogenesis. We also address different autophagy modulators available and the rationale for drug repurposing as an attractive adjunctive therapy. We focused on pharmaceuticals being tested in clinical trials with distinct mechanisms but with autophagy as a common target. These autophagy modulators act in cell resistance to virus infection and immunomodulation, providing a double-strike to prevent or treat severe disease development and death from coronaviruses diseases.