Can food and food supplements be deployed in the fight against the COVID 19 pandemic?

Phenolic compounds versus SARS-CoV-2: An update on the main findings against COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 remains an international concern. Although there are drugs to fight it, new natural alternatives such as polyphenols are essential due to their antioxidant activity and high antiviral potential. In this context, this review reports the main findings on the effect of phenolic compounds (PCs) against SARS-CoV-2 virus. First, the proven activity of PCs against different human viruses is briefly detailed, which serves as a starting point to study their anti-COVID-19 potential. SARS-CoV-2 targets (its proteins) are defined. Findings from in silico, in vitro and in vivo studies of a wide variety of phenolic compounds are shown, emphasizing their mechanism of action, which is fundamental for drug design. Furthermore, clinical trials have demonstrated the effectiveness of PCs in the prevention and as a possible therapeutic management against COVID-19. The results were complemented with information on the influence of polyphenols in strengthening/modulating the immune system. It is recommended to investigate compounds such as vitamins, minerals, alkaloids, triterpenes and fatty acids, and their synergistic use with PCs, many of which have been successful against SARS-CoV-2. Based on findings on other viruses, synergistic evaluation of PCs with accepted drugs against COVID-19 is also suggested. Other recommendations and limitations are also shown, which is useful for professionals involved in the development of efficient, safe and low-cost therapeutic strategies based on plant matrices rich in PCs. To the authors' knowledge, this manuscript is the first to evaluate the relationship between the antiviral and immunomodulatory (including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects) activity of PCs and their underlying mechanisms in relation to the fight against COVID-19. It is also of interest for the general population to be informed about the importance of consuming foods rich in bioactive compounds for their health benefits.

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.

A review of natural foods consumed during the COVID-19 pandemic life

Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease that has brought life to a standstill around the world. Until a vaccine was found to combat COVID-19, the world conducted research and made recommendations for nutritional natural foods. Considering the risks incurred by contracting the disease, even though the production of various vaccines and vaccination of healthy people has started in some countries, individuals need useful foods to be ready for the COVID-19 pandemic. Recently, nutrient contents such as antioxidant compounds, vitamins, minerals, and probiotics that contribute to the immune system have been investigated. This paper attempts to determine the role of these dietary supplements in reducing the risk of COVID-19 and/or changing the course of the disease in COVID-19 patients and their effects on mortality. Supplements used and recommended for the COVID-19 pandemic life were investigated. In conclusion, more research is needed to determine the effectiveness of nutrients, vitamins, minerals, probiotics, prebiotics, and antioxidants used during the COVID-19 pandemic to inhibit the effect of SARS-CoV-2. In order to overcome the new global crisis, nutritional cures and treatments should be upgraded. However, additional research on the subject is needed.

The antimicrobial and immunomodulatory effects of Ionophores for the treatment of human infection

Ionophores are a diverse class of synthetic and naturally occurring ion transporter compounds which demonstrate both direct and in-direct antimicrobial properties against a broad panel of bacterial, fungal, viral and parasitic pathogens. In addition, ionophores can regulate the host-immune response during communicable and non-communicable disease states. Although the clinical use of ionophores such as Amphotericin B, Bedaquiline and Ivermectin highlight the utility of ionophores in modern medicine, for many other ionophore compounds issues surrounding toxicity, bioavailability or lack of in vivo efficacy studies have hindered clinical development. The antimicrobial and immunomodulating properties of a range of compounds with characteristics of ionophores remain largely unexplored. As such, ionophores remain a latent therapeutic avenue to address both the global burden of antimicrobial resistance, and the unmet clinical need for new antimicrobial therapies. This review will provide an overview of the broad-spectrum antimicrobial and immunomodulatory properties of ionophores, and their potential uses in clinical medicine for combatting infection.

Korean traditional foods as antiviral and respiratory disease prevention and treatments: A detailed review

BACKGROUND

Korean traditional food (KTF), originated from ancestral agriculture and the nomadic traditions of the Korean peninsula and southern Manchuria, is based on healthy food that balances disease prevention and treatment. Fermented foods that include grains, herbs, fruits, and mushrooms are also an important practice in KTF, providing high levels of Lactobacilli, which confer relevant health benefits, including antiviral properties. Some of these probiotics may also protect against the Influenza virus through the modulation of innate immunity.

SCOPE AND APPROACH

The emerging of the COVID-19 pandemic, in addition to other diseases of viral origin, and the problems associated with other respiratory disorders, highlight how essential is a healthy eating pattern to strengthen our immune system.Key Findings and Conclusions: The present review covers the information available on edible plants, herbs, mushrooms, and preparations used in KTF to outline their multiple medicinal effects (e.g., antidiabetic, chemopreventive, antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial), emphasizing their role and effects on the immune system with an emphasis on modulating properties of the gut microbiota that further support strong respiratory immunity. Potential functional foods commonly used in Korean cuisine such as Kimchi (a mixture of fermented vegetables), Meju, Doenjang, Jeotgal, and Mekgeolli and fermented sauces, among others, are highlighted for their great potential to improve gut-lung immunity. The traditional Korean diet and dietary mechanisms that may target viruses ACE-2 receptors or affect any step of a virus infection pathway that can determine a patient's prognosis are also highlighted. The regular oral intake of bioactive ingredients used in Korean foods can offer protection for some viral diseases, through protective and immunomodulatory effects, as evidenced in pre-clinical and clinical studies.

Consumption of Phenolic-Rich Food and Dietary Supplements as a Key Tool in SARS-CoV-19 Infection

The first cases of COVID-19, which is caused by the SARS-CoV-2, were reported in December 2019. The vertiginous worldwide expansion of SARS-CoV-2 caused the collapse of health systems in several countries due to the high severity of the COVID-19. In addition to the vaccines, the search for active compounds capable of preventing and/or fighting the infection has been the main direction of research. Since the beginning of this pandemic, some evidence has highlighted the importance of a phenolic-rich diet as a strategy to reduce the progression of this disease, including the severity of the symptoms. Some of these compounds (e.g., curcumin, gallic acid or quercetin) already showed capacity to limit the infection of viruses by inhibiting entry into the cell through its binding to protein Spike, regulating the expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, disrupting the replication in cells by inhibition of viral proteases, and/or suppressing and modulating the host's immune response. Therefore, this review intends to discuss the most recent findings on the potential of phenolics to prevent SARS-CoV-2.

Lactoferrin, Quercetin, and Hydroxyapatite Act Synergistically against Pseudomonas fluorescens

Pseudomonas fluorescens is an opportunistic, psychotropic pathogen that can live in different environments, such as plant, soil, or water surfaces, and it is associated with food spoilage. Bioactive compounds can be used as antimicrobials and can be added into packaging systems. Quercetin and lactoferrin are the best candidates for the development of a complex of the two molecules absorbed on bio combability structure as hydroxyapatite. The minimum inhibiting concentration (MIC) of single components and of the complex dropped down the single MIC value against Pseudomonas fluorescens. Characterization analysis of the complex was performed by means SEM and zeta-potential analysis. Then, the synergistic activity (C_syn) of single components and the complex was calculated. Finally, the synergistic activity was confirmed, testing in vitro its anti-inflammatory activity on U937 macrophage-like human cell line. In conclusion, the peculiarity of our study consists of optimizing the specific propriety of each component: the affinity of lactoferrin for LPS; that of quercetin for the bacterial membrane. These proprieties make the complex a good candidate in food industry as antimicrobial compounds, and as functional food.

A Systematic Review on Traditional Medicinal Plants Used for the Treatment of Viral and Fungal Infections in Ethiopia

BACKGROUND

Traditional medicine is still playing an important role in meeting the basic health care requirement of the peoples in different parts of Ethiopia. There is no published review that clearly indicates documented medicinal plants available in different parts of the country used for treating viral and fungal infections. Currently, viral epidemics with high mortality and morbidity like SARS COV-2 are emerging. Screening of promising drug from plant source is vital to control such viral and fungal infections. In addition, indicating the most commonly used parts of the plant and their route of administration will help for further drug formulation studies. This review aimed to present an indication of the ethnomedicinal plants used for the treatment of fungal and viral infections.

METHODS

The databases (Google Scholar, pub med, hinari, and research gate) were searched for published articles on the ethnobotany of medicinal plants used to treat viral and fungal infection in Ethiopia without restriction in the methodology and year of publication. Viral infections, fungal infections, anti-fungal and anti-viral activity, ethnobotany, Ethiopia, and medicinal plants were the key search terms. Studies that did not have complete ethnobotanical data and did not address viral and fungal infection as a disease treated traditionally by the practitioners were excluded.

RESULTS

A total of 249 articles were produced by database search. After amendment for exclusion criteria and duplicates, 15 articles were found appropriate for the review. The majority of the studies were qualitative and others were mixed type in nature. All of the medicinal plants traditionally used to treat viral and fungal infections in Ethiopia were not scientifically confirmed. Out of the 95 identified plants, 40.8% were herbs and from the plant parts used and 43.9% and 21.1% were leaves and roots, respectively. The majority, (48.8%), of the plant remedies were given orally. Rabies and Tinea capitis constitute the highest percentage of viral and fungal infections treated by traditional medicinal plants followed by hepatitis and Tinea corporis, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Various plants have been used to treat viral and fungal infections. Information obtained from this review serves as a guide to discover novel antiviral and antifungal agents from plants. Therefore, it is advisable for field researchers to properly identify, document, conserve and conduct efficacy and safety studies on such medicinal plants in animal models.

Statins in COVID-19 Therapy

Inhibitors of 3-hydroxy-3methylgultaryl-coenzyme A reductase (statins) are one of the main groups of drugs used in preventing and treating cardiovascular diseases worldwide. They are widely available, cheap, and well-tolerated. Based on statins’ pleiotropic properties, including improvement of endothelial dysfunction, antioxidant properties, atherosclerotic plaque stabilization, and inhibition of inflammatory responses, it can be hypothesized that the use of statins, at least as an adjuvant in antiviral therapy, may be justified. All these effects might be especially beneficial in patients with COVID-19, suffering from endothelial dysfunction, microvascular and macrovascular thrombosis, and cytokine storm. Here, we review the recent data regarding the pathophysiology of SARS-CoV-2 activity in host cells, proposed COVID-19 therapy, the pleiotropic activity of statins, and statins in clinical trials in respiratory infections. According to the guidelines of the European and American Cardiac Societies, in patients with cardiovascular disease or high cardiovascular risk with concomitant COVID-19 it is recommended to continue statin treatment. However, the initiation of statin therapy de novo in COVID-19 treatment should only be done as part of a clinical trial.

Potential Effects of Melatonin and Micronutrients on Mitochondrial Dysfunction during a Cytokine Storm Typical of Oxidative/Inflammatory Diseases

Exaggerated oxidative stress and hyper-inflammation are essential features of oxidative/inflammatory diseases. Simultaneously, both processes may be the cause or consequence of mitochondrial dysfunction, thus establishing a vicious cycle among these three factors. However, several natural substances, including melatonin and micronutrients, may prevent or attenuate mitochondrial damage and may preserve an optimal state of health by managing the general oxidative and inflammatory status. This review aims to describe the crucial role of mitochondria in the development and progression of multiple diseases as well as the close relationship among mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and cytokine storm. Likewise, it attempts to summarize the main findings related to the powerful effects of melatonin and some micronutrients (vitamins and minerals), which may be useful (alone or in combination) as therapeutic agents in the treatment of several examples of oxidative/inflammatory pathologies, including sepsis, as well as cardiovascular, renal, neurodegenerative, and metabolic disorders.

The effects of some essential and toxic metals/metalloids in COVID-19: A review

Thousands of studies have been conducted in order to understand in depth the characteristics of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, its infectivity and ways of transmission, and very especially everything related to the clinical and severity of the COVID-19, as well as the potential treatments. In this sense, the role that essential and toxic metals/metalloids have in the development and course of this disease is being studied. Metals/metalloids such as arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury or vanadium, are elements with known toxic effects in mammals, while trace elements such as cobalt, copper, iron, manganese, selenium and zinc are considered essential. Given the importance of metals/metalloids in nutrition and human health, the present review was aimed at assessing the relationship between various essential and toxic metals/metalloids and the health outcomes related with the COVID-19. We are in the position to conclude that particular attention must be paid to the load/levels of essential trace elements in COVID-19 patients, mainly zinc and selenium. On the other hand, the exposure to air pollutants in general, and toxic metal/metalloids in particular, should be avoided as much as possible to reduce the possibilities of viral infections, including SARS-CoV-2.

Potential health benefits of zinc supplementation for the management of COVID-19 pandemic

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the etiological agent for the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). The COVID-19 pandemic has created unimaginable and unprecedented global health crisis. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, millions of dollars have been spent, hospitalization overstretched with increasing morbidity and mortality. All these have resulted in unprecedented global economic catastrophe. Several drugs and vaccines are currently being evaluated, tested, and administered in the frantic efforts to stem the dire consequences of COVID-19 with varying degrees of successes. Zinc possesses potential health benefits against COVID-19 pandemic by improving immune response, minimizing infection and inflammation, preventing lung injury, inhibiting viral replication through the interference of the viral genome transcription, protein translation, attachment, and host infectivity. However, this review focuses on the various mechanisms of action of zinc and its supplementation as adjuvant for vaccines an effective therapeutic regimen in the management of the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the etiological agent for the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), has brought unprecedented untold hardship to both developing and developed countries. The global race for vaccine development against COVID-19 continues with success in sight with attendant increasing hospitalization, morbidity, and mortality. Available drugs with anti-inflammatory actions have become alternative to stem the tide of COVID-19 with attendant global financial crises. However, Zinc is known to modulate several physiological functions including intracellular signaling, enzyme function, gustation, and olfaction, as well as reproductive, skeletal, neuronal, and cardiovascular systems. Hence, achieving a significant therapeutic approach against COVID-19 could imply the use of zinc as a supplement together with available drugs and vaccines waiting for emergency authorization to win the battle of COVID-19. Together, it becomes innovative and creative to supplement zinc with currently available drugs and vaccines.

Assessing the Impact of Out-of-Pocket Expenditures for Prevention of COVID-19 Infection on Households: Evidence From Malaysia

COVID-19 infection resulted in significant economic implications to patients as well as a considerable financial burden to the general population for preventive measures. A descriptive study was conducted among staff at one of the public universities in Malaysia to estimate the monthly out-of-pocket expenditures for preventive measures used for COVID-19 infection. The study tool includes questions on household out-of-pocket expenditure and the measurements of the impact of the expenditure on household income. It was found that the average cumulative monthly expenditures related to the preventive measures were US$ 45.90 (Ringgit Malaysia 187.77), which was 4.3% of the household income. The highest expenditures were for traditional and complementary medicine followed by nutraceutical/supplements and disposable facemask. 8% of the households in this study incurred more than ten per cents of their monthly household income for expenditures related to COVID-19 preventive measures. Several households are experiencing substantial financial implications for preventive measures related to COVID-19 infection. This study highlights the out-of-pocket expenditures incurred for preventive measures were substantial for certain households. Effective initiatives from the government on providing subsidized protective personal equipment and a cost-sharing approach could help to alleviate the household financial burden.