4 research outputs found
Therapeutic and Nutritional Potential of Spirulina in Combating COVID-19 Infection
Human history has witnessed various pandemics throughout, and these cause disastrous effects on human health and country’s economy. Once again, after SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) and MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome), the world is observing a very tough time fighting an invisible enemy, the novel COVID-19 coronavirus. Initially observed in the Wuhan province of China, now, it has spread across 210 countries. Number of corona affected confirmed cases have reached > 3 million globally and death toll has reached to 258,481 as on 6th May,2020. Researchers are working round the clock, forming collaborative efforts and sharing their data to come up with a cure for this disease. The new coronavirus genome was quickly sequenced and clinical and epidemiological data are continuously being collected and analyzed. This data is crucial for forming better public health policies and developing antiviral drugs and vaccines. As there is no vaccine available in market against COVID-19, personal health, immunity, social distancing and basic protection measures are extremely important. It is critical to avoid the virus infection and to strengthen the immune system as the coronavirus can be fatal for those with weak immunity. This article reviews the nutritional and therapeutic potential of Spirulina, which is considered as superfood and a natural supplement to strengthen the immune system. Spirulina is highly nutritious and has hypolipidemic, hypoglycemic and antihypertensive properties. Spirulina contains several bioactive compounds, such as phenols, phycobiliproteins and sulphated polysaccharides and many more with proven antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and immunostimulant/ immunomodulatory effects
Human Immune Response to COVID-19 Infection and Potential Role of Chloroquine Family of Drugs: A Review
Currently, world is witnessing a massive morbidity and mortality due to COVID-19 pandemic.  A novel strain of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The virus enters inside the body and infect the cells through angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor. The S1 protein of SARS-CoV-2 binds to the ACE2 receptor which results in endocytosis and transfer of virus into endosomes of body cells. Entry of SARS-CoV-2 results in activation of innate immune responses first followed by adaptive immune responses. The effective host immune responses are crucial to control and prevent viral infection. However, excessive production of proinflammatory cytokines and decrease in number of T-lymphocytes are the major reasons associated with severity of COVID-19. Therapies and drugs that can modulate the immune responses appropriately may play a crucial role to control and prevent the progression of disease. Chloroquine (CQ) and hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) have anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antitumor, antimicrobial and antithrombotic effects. These drugs have already been registered in many countries to treat arthritis, lupus and malaria. The treatment responses of COVID-19 patients to these drugs have been found positive in some cases and clinical studies are underway for evaluating these drugs for the same. However, there are some serious side effects and health hazards associated. Many regulatory bodies are demanding more conclusive data on efficacy and safety from the clinical studies. Moreover, some regulatory bodies such as Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European Medicines Agency (EMA) have recommended to use these drugs in emergency and chronic situation to treat critically ill COVID-19 patients under doctor’s supervision with all issued guidelines. The national task force (NTF) set up by Indian Council of Medical Research has recommended high risk individuals to take HCQ for prophylaxis. This review summarizes human immune response and various aspects of CQ and HCQ with special reference to COVID-19
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Activity of primisulfuron and Alternaria helianthi as affected by leaf surface micro-morphology and surfactants
Laboratory and greenhouse studies were conducted to examine the leaf surface, epicuticular wax content, spray droplet behavior, and primisulfuron activity (with and without surfactants) on common lambsquarters, common purslane, velvetleaf, barnyardgrass, and green foxtail. Adaxial and abaxial leaf surfaces were examined using scanning electron microscopy. Leaf wax was extracted and quantified. The spread of 1μl droplets of distilled water, primisulfuron solution (without surfactant), primisulfuron solution with a nonionic surfactant and with an organosilicone surfactant was determined on the adaxial leaf surfaces of each of the weed species. The activity of primisulfuron without or with surfactants was assessed 3 weeks after treatment in terms of percent injury and plant fresh weight. Greenhouse studies were also conducted to investigate the bioherbicidal activity of Alternaria helianthi (Hansf.) Tubaki & Nishih. on multiple-seeded cocklebur as affected by various surfactants. The number of stomata per unit area on abaxial surface was more than on adaxial leaf surface of barnyardgrass, common lambsquarters and velvetleaf, whereas, common purslane and green foxtail had more stomata on adaxial surface than abaxial. Common lambsquarters had the highest wax content per unit of leaf area (274.5 μg cm-2) and velvetleaf had the lowest (7.4 μg cm-2). Wax content of common purslane was 153.4 μg cm-2. The mean values of the wax content per unit of leaf area in barnyardgrass and green foxtail were 35.91 μg cm-2 and 19.14 μg cm-2, respectively. Surfactants increased primisulfuron activity on common lambsquarters, common purslane, velvetleaf, and green foxtail. In general, organosilicone surfactant reduced the contact angle with increased spread area of the primisulfuron droplets more than the nonionic surfactant treatments and resulted in enhanced activity of primisulfuron. Alternaria helianthi resulted in significant reduction of fresh weight of multiple-seeded cockleburs when followed by a 12 h dew period as compared to a 6 h dew. Under short dew period (6 h), greater control of multiple-seeded cocklebur was achieved using higher rates of Activator 90 and Silwet L-77 and may have great potentials for achieving effective biological control
Therapeutic Potential of Olive’s Bioactive Compounds in COVID-19 Disease Management: A Review
In this present time the world is continuously discovering effective treatment strategies for controlling the Coronavirus disease - 2019 (COVID-19). Many researchers have focused on designing drugs which can affect replication or protease activity of coronavirus. The clinical testing and regulatory approvals for these drugs will take time. However, currently there is an urgent requirement of treatment strategies which are safe, effective and can be implemented through readily available products in market. Many plant derived products rich in secondary metabolites having potential health benefits and antimicrobial properties. The olive plant leaf extracts and olive oil are rich sources of secondary metabolites such as phenols (oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol) and terpenoids (oleanolic, maslinic and ursolic acid). These compounds have been used as an effective antiviral agents in the past. The phenolics affect the virus attachment and replication. Whereas, the terpenoids mainly affects the membrane fluidity of the virus. In the recent molecular docking studies, it was found that, these compounds effectively bound to Mpro and 3CLpro protease sites of SARS-CoV-2 and were predicted to affect the replication of the SARS-CoV-2. Apart from antiviral properties, these bioactive compounds possess various other pharmacological properties such as anti-inflammatory, anti-modulatory, anti-thrombotic and anti-oxidative. The olive oil is consumed as a source of dietary fat and is the secret behind the good health in Mediterranean people. The consumption of olive oil is safe and is believed to increase the immunity against various infectious microbes. Hence olive products can be explored in management of COVID-19. In this review the various properties of phenolic and terpenoid compounds found in olives were discussed in the context of COVID-19