Exploration of medicinal plants as potential therapeutics against COVID-19: molecular insights and drug development prospects with other significant medicinal information a retrospective exposition

OBJECTIVES

The study aims to explore the potential of medicinal plants and their phytoconstituents as effective inhibitors of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The focus is on investigating specific medicinal plants known for their pharmacological properties, such as: antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory effects, to determine their viability in developing COVID-19 treatments.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study involves a comprehensive study of medicinal plants, including: Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) and Ocimum sanctum (Holy Basil), known for their beneficial health effects. Molecular docking studies were conducted to assess the interactions between phytoconstituents from these plants and SARS-CoV-2 proteins. The compounds' drug-like characteristics and safety profiles were also evaluated to determine their potential as therapeutic agents.

RESULTS

The molecular docking studies revealed that the phytoconstituents from the studied medicinal plants exhibit favourable interactions with SARS-CoV-2 proteins, suggesting their potential as therapeutic targets. These compounds demonstrated promising drug-like characteristics and safety profiles, indicating their suitability for further development as COVID-19-fighting medications.

DISCUSSION

The results indicate that medicinal plants and their bioactive substances hold significant potential for developing therapies against COVID-19. The ability of these organic substances to interact with key viral proteins and provide various therapeutic benefits highlights their potential as multi-functional treatment options. However, further research is necessary to confirm these findings and to understand the full scope of their therapeutic efficacy and safety in clinical settings.

CONCLUSIONS

Medicinal plants and their phyto-constituents represent a promising avenue for developing effective treatments for COVID-19. The favourable interactions with SARS-CoV-2 proteins and the promising drug-like characteristics observed in this study suggest that these natural compounds could be integral in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Further research and clinical trials are essential to fully validating their potential and translating these findings into practical medical applications.

A bioanalytical assay for estimation of thymoquinone in rats cerebrospinal fluid and brain tissues of nasally administrated thymoquinone loaded lipo-polymeric nanoshells and its pharmacokinetic profiling

Thymoquinone (TH) has been one of the major phytochemical used in the treatment of cancers since long time, especially in the management of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). The formulation of lipo-polymeric nanoshells (LPNs) and their nasal delivery are fascinating approaches for overcoming the drawbacks of low solubility and poor bioavailability of TH. Hence targeting LPNs to the brain requires a validated bioanalytical method for the assessment of TH concentration in Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and brain tissue homogenates (BTH). Therefore, the current work focuses on the development and validation of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method in CSF by employing nasal simulated fluid (NSF) as one of the major components of the mobile phase. The developed method was checked for linearity in the range of 0.05 to 1.6 μg/mL, having an r2 value of 0.999 with mean % recovery >95% and % RSD values below <2.0%. The developed method gave a clear separation of TH at 6.021 ± 0.17 min with an internal standard at 4.102 ± 0.09 min and a CSF spike at 2.170 ± 0.12 min. The developed method assisted in determining the in-vitro and in-vivo drug release study of LPNs, pharmacokinetic profiling, qualitative in-vivo brain uptake study, in-vitro cellular uptake, and generating stability data of formulated LPNs proposed for intranasal administration in rats.

Chronic Treatment with Nigella sativa Oil Exerts Antimanic Properties and Reduces Brain Inflammation in Rats

Nigella sativa (NS) is a native herb consumed habitually in several countries worldwide, possessing manifold therapeutic properties. Among them, anti-inflammatory features have been reported, presumably relating to mechanisms involved in the nuclear factor kappa-B pathway, among others. Given the observed association between neuroimmune factors and mental illness, the primary aim of the present study was to examine the effects of chronic NS use on manic-like behavior in rats, as well as analyze levels of brain inflammatory mediators following NS intake. Using male and female rats, baseline tests were performed; thereafter, rats were fed either regular food (control) or NS-containing food (treatment) for four weeks. Following intervention, behavioral tests were induced (an open field test, sucrose consumption test, three-chamber sociality test, and amphetamine-induced hyperactivity test). Subsequently, brain samples were extracted, and inflammatory mediators were evaluated, including interleukin-6, leukotriene B4, prostaglandin E2, tumor necrosis factor-α, and nuclear phosphorylated-p65. Our findings show NS to result in a marked antimanic-like effect, in tandem with a positive modulation of select inflammatory mediators among male and female rats. The findings reinforce the proposed therapeutic advantages relating to NS ingestion.

Berbamine and thymoquinone exert protective effects against immune-mediated liver injury via NF-κB dependent pathway

Background

Immune-mediated hepatitis is a severe impendence to human health, and no effective treatment is currently available. Therefore, new, safe, low-cost therapies are desperately required. Berbamine (BE), a natural substance obtained primarily from Berberis vulgaris L, is a traditional herbal medicine with several bioactivities, such as antimicrobial and anticancer activities. Thymoquinone (TQ), a phytochemical molecule derived from the Nigella sativa plant's black cumin seeds, has attracted interest owing to itsanti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer properties.

Aim

This current study's aims was to examine the protective impacts of BE and TQ in Concanavalin A (ConA)- induced acute liver injury and the action's underlying mechanism.

Methods

sixty mice of both sexes were used and divided into four groups (each group with six mice) as follows: Group I obtained distilled water (negative control group). Group II received distilled water with a single dose of 0.1 ml ConA (20 mg/kg) on day 4 by retro-orbital route (model group). Groups III and IV received BE (30 mg/kg/day) and TQ (25 mg/kg/day), respectively, by oral gavage for four successive days, with a single dose of ConA (20 mg/kg) on day 4, then all animals were sacrificed after 8 h and prepared for liver and blood collection.

Results

ConA administration increased the ALT, AST, TNF-α, INFγ, and NF-κB significantly (p < 0.001) in the model group. Both BE and TQ could reduce these parameters significantly (p < 0.001) in groups III and IV, respectively, compared to the model group.

Conclusion

Both BE and TQ prominently attenuated ConA immune-mediated liver injury. These findings give a remarkable insight into developing a new therapeutic agent for treating hepatitis and other autoimmune diseases.