Antiviral Mechanisms of Curcumin and Its Derivatives in Prevention and Treatment of COVID-19: A Review.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has now plagued the world for almost 3 years. Although vaccines are now available, the severity of the pandemic and the current dearth of approved effective medications have prompted the need for novel treatment approaches. Curcumin, as a food nutraceutical with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, is now under consideration for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19. Curcumin has been demonstrated to retard the entrance of SARS-CoV-2 into cells, interfere with its proliferation inside cells, and curb the hyperinflammatory state caused by the virus by modulating immune system regulators, minimizing the cytokine storm effect, and modulating the renin-angiotensin system. This chapter discusses the role of curcumin and its derivatives in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 infection, considering the molecular mechanisms involved. It will also focus on the molecular and cellular profiling techniques as essential tools in this research, as these can be used in the identification and development of new biomarkers, drug targets, and therapeutic approaches for improved patient care.

An Investigation into the Effects of Chemical, Pharmaceutical, and Herbal Compounds on Neuroglobin: A Literature Review.

Neuroglobin (Ngb) is an oxygen-binding globin protein that is mainly expressed in the neurons of the central and peripheral nervous system. However, moderate levels of Ngb have also been detected in non-neural tissues. Ngb and Ngb modulating factors have been increasingly studied over the last decade due to their neuroprotective role in neurological disorders and hypoxia. Studies have shown that a number of chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and herbal compounds can modulate the expression of Ngb at different dose levels, indicating a protective role against neurodegenerative diseases. Iron chelators, hormones, antidiabetic drugs, anticoagulants, antidepressants, plant derivatives and short-chain fatty acids are among these compounds. Therefore, this study aimed to review the literature focused on the possible effects and mechanisms of chemical, pharmaceutical, and herbal compounds on Ngbs.

The effect of Nigella sativa (black seed) on biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to assess the effect of Nigella sativa (N. sativa) supplementation on inflammatory and oxidative markers among the adult population. METHODS: We carried out a comprehensive, systematic search of Scopus, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, PubMed, and Google Scholar till December 2022. A random-effects model was used to estimate the overall effect size. RESULTS: In total, twenty trials consisting of 1086 participants were included in the meta-analysis. Findings from 20 RCTs included in the meta-analysis suggest that N. sativa supplementation could significantly reduce serum C-reactive protein (CRP) (SMD = - 2.28; 95% CI - 3.20, - 1.37, p < 0.001), tumour necrosis factor α (TNFα) (SMD = - 1.21; 95% CI - 2.15, - 0.26; p = 0.013), and malondialdehyde (MDA) (SMD = - 2.15; 95% CI - 3.37, - 0.93, p < 0.001) levels, and significantly improves total antioxidant capacity (TAC) (SMD = 2.28; 95% CI 1.29, 3.27, p < 0.001), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) (SMD = 1.23, 95% CI 0.25, 2.22; p = 0.014) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) (SMD = 2.05; 95% CI 1.22, 2.88, p < 0.001) levels. However, no significant reduction was found in interleukin 6 (IL-6) levels (SMD = - 1.13; 95% CI - 2.72, 0.46, p = 0.162). CONCLUSION: N. sativa supplementation had beneficial effects on CRP, TNF-α, MDA, SOD, GPx, and TAC. Thus, Nigella sativa can be recommended as an adjuvant anti-oxidant agent and anti-inflammatory.

The Association Between Vitamin D and Premenstrual Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Current Literature.

A number of studies have assessed the association between vitamin D and premenstrual syndrome (PMS) in different populations, but the findings have been inconclusive. Herein, we systematically reviewed available observational and interventional evidence to elucidate the overall relationship between vitamin D and PMS. PubMed, Cochrane Library, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Google Scholar, and ISI Web of Science databases were searched for all available articles until September 2018. The Newcastle-Ottawa quality assessment scale and Jadad scale were used to assess the quality of the observational and interventional studies, respectively. A total of 16 studies out of 196 met our inclusion criteria and were included in the final analysis. Although no significant association between serum 25(OH)D and PMS (weighted mean difference (WMD) = 3.35; 95% confidence interval, -7.80 to 1.11; p = 0.14) was indicated in observational studies, vitamin D supplementation was effective in ameliorating PMS symptoms based upon findings from interventional studies. These results add to the existing literature supporting the fact that nutrition, especially vitamin D, plays an important role in women's health. Additional well-designed clinical trials should be considered in future research to develop firm conclusions on the efficacy of vitamin D on PMS. KEY TEACHING POINTS 5-8% of women experience severe PMS. Nutrition especially vitamin D plays an important role in the women's health. Vitamin D could exert significant clinical effects on PMS symptoms. This is a systematic review and meta-analysis in this regard.