Herbal medicine, a reliable support in COVID therapy

Factors associated with the consumption of medicinal plants for the prevention of COVID-19 in peruvian population: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES.

Motivation for the study. No study conclusively recommends the use of medicinal plants to treat COVID-19 symptoms, and their indiscriminate use may present health risks. Main findings. Sixty percent of participants consumed medicinal plants to prevent COVID-19. This was particularly true for those living in the Peruvian highlands and individuals with family members diagnosed or deceased from COVID-19, who perceive a higher risk of infection and use medications or chlorine dioxide as preventive measures. Implications. Communication strategies emphasizing validated preventive practices and educating about the risks of consuming medicinal plants should be tailored to the predominant characteristics of the consumer. Determine the factors associated with the consumption of medicinal plants as a preventive measure against COVID-19 in the Peruvian population.

MATERIALS AND METHODS.

A population over 18 years of age, living in Peru and without a history of COVID-19 disease, was evaluated. The factors associated with the consumption of medicinal plants were evaluated using a Poisson regression model with robust variances.

RESULTS.

Of the 3231 participants included, 84.6% were young adults (18-29 years old), 62.7% were women, and 59.7% consumed a medicinal plant to prevent COVID-19 infection. The factors associated with the consumption of medicinal plants to prevent COVID-19 infection were residing in the Peruvian highlands, having had a family member diagnosed with COVID-19, having had a family member die from COVID-19, considering their family to be at increased risk of infection, having used medications or chlorine dioxide to prevent COVID-19, having medical information as the main source of information about COVID-19, thinking that medicinal plants are effective in preventing COVID-19 disease, or not being informed about their effectiveness.

CONCLUSION.

Sixty percent of the participants reported having consumed a medicinal plant to prevent COVID-19. Authorities must apply communication strategies about the implications of consuming medicinal plants, prioritizing population groups with higher consumption patterns.

L-Theanine Regulates the Abundance of Amino Acid Transporters in Mice Duodenum and Jejunum via the mTOR Signaling Pathway

The intestine is a key organ for the absorption of amino acids. L-theanine (LTA) is a structural analog of glutamine and a characteristic non-protein amino acid found in tea (Camellia sinensis) that regulates lipid and protein metabolism. The present study explored the role of LTA in intestinal amino acid absorption, protein synthesis, and its mechanisms. Overall, our findings suggest that LTA supplementation not only affects serum alkaline phosphatase (AKP), total protein (TP), and urea nitrogen (BUN) levels, but it also upregulates the mRNA and protein expression of amino acid transporters (EAAT3, EAAT1, 4F2hc, y⁺LAT1, CAT1, ASCT2, and B⁰AT1), and activates the mTOR signaling pathway. The downstream S6 and S6K1 proteins are regulated, and the expression of amino acid transporters is regulated. These findings suggest that LTA increases intestinal AA absorption, promotes protein metabolism, and increases nitrogen utilization by upregulating AAT expression, activating the mTOR signaling pathway, and phosphorylating the mTOR downstream proteins S6 and S6K1.

Experiences and perceptions of COVID-19 infection and vaccination among Palestinian refugees in Jerash camp and Jordanian citizens: a comparative cross-sectional study by face-to-face interviews

BACKGROUND

During the COVID-19 vaccination, the access to vaccines has been unequal among countries and individuals, for example low-income countries displayed significant low levels of vaccination. Furthermore, most refugees are living in developing low-income countries which struggling to access the essential health-care services including vaccination. Thus, the objective of this study was to assess the experiences and perceptions of COVID-19 infection and vaccination among Palestine refugees in Jerash camp compared to resident Jordanian citizens.

METHODS

A face-to-face interview-based comparative cross-sectional study was carried out among Palestine refugees in Jerash camp located in northern Jordan and Jordanian citizens from different cities in Jordan from October, 2021 to March, 2022. A Chi-square test was used to determine the differences in the experiences and perceptions of COVID-19 infection and vaccination between Palestinian refugees and resident Jordanian citizens. Logistic regression analysis was performed to predict factors associated with the beliefs, barriers and hesitancy towards COVID-19 vaccines.

RESULTS

The total number of participants was 992, with 501 (50.5%) Palestinian refugees and 491 (49.5%) Jordanian citizens. Most participants (64.1%) who have never been tested for COVID-19 were from the refugees (P < 0.001), whereas about 80.3% of the participants tested for COVID-19 at private healthcare institutions were citizens (P < 0.001). While 70.0% of the participants who tested positive for COVID-19 (n = 303) were from the refugees (P < 0.001). Compared to the citizens, the refugees had significantly lower levels of beliefs about the safety (P = 0.008) and efficiency (P < 0.001) of COVID-19 vaccines. They also had lower rates of vaccine hesitancy (P = 0.002) and vaccine uptake (P < 0.001), and a higher rate of facing difficulties during registration for COVID-19 vaccination (P < 0.001). Furthermore, refugees have more negative attitudes toward the importance and implementation of COVID-19 precautionary activities, including wearing face masks, practicing social distancing and following proper prevention hygiene compared to citizens (P < 0.001). The regression analysis showed that gender (P < 0.001), age (P < 0.001) and level of education (P = 0.001) were significantly associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Also, being a refugee (P < 0.001) and being a male (P = 0.012) were significantly associated with facing more difficulties upon the registration to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

CONCLUSIONS

This study showed that, compared to citizens, refugees had lower attitudes and practices toward COVID-19 infection and vaccination. They also had and a lower rate of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and uptake with limited access to vaccines. Government sectors and non-government organizations should implement policies and regulations to raise the awareness of refugees towards COVID-19 infection, testing, preventive measures, and the safety and efficacy of vaccines.

Role of ethno-phytomedicine knowledge in healthcare of COVID-19: advances in traditional phytomedicine perspective

Background

Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus, ethnomedicinal plants have been used in diverse geographical locations for their purported prophylactic and pharmacological effects. Medicinal plants have been relied on by people around the globe for centuries, as 80% of the world’s population rely on herbal medicines for some aspect of their primary health care needs, according to the World Health Organization.

Main body

This review portrays advances in traditional phytomedicine by bridging the knowledge of ethno-phytomedicine and COVID-19 healthcare. Ethnomedicinal plants have been used for symptoms related to COVID-19 as antiviral, anti-infective, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, antipyretic, and lung–gut immune boosters. Traditionally used medicinal plants have the ability to inhibit virus entry and viral assembly, bind to spike proteins, membrane proteins, and block viral replications and enzymes. The efficacy of traditional medicinal plants in the terms of COVID-19 management can be evaluated by in vitro, in vivo as well as different in silico techniques (molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulations, machine learning, etc.) which have been applied extensively to the quest and design of effective biotherapeutics rapidly. Other advances in traditional phytomedicines against COVID-19 are controlled clinical trials, and notably the roles in the gut microbiome. Targeting the gut microbiome via medicinal plants as prebiotics is also found to be an alternative and potential strategy in the search for a COVID-19 combat strategy.

Conclusions

Since medicinal plants are the sources of modern biotherapeutics development, it is essential to build collaborations among ethnobotanists, scientists, and technologists toward developing the most efficient and the safest adjuvant therapeutics against the pandemic of the twenty-first century, COVID-19.

Leone P. Use, knowledge, attitudes and practices of formal and alternative medicine related to Covid-19 in the Ecuadorian population

The Covid-19 pandemic revealed a complex health problem for people and national health systems. Faced with the initial ignorance of the behavior of the SARS-COV-2 virus in populations, people turned to relief and alternative medicines. In Ecuador, the use of traditional or western medicine and the systematic approach of people to conventional medicine are evident realities. Our work aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding Covid-19 and the use of formal and traditional medicine to treat the disease or contagion. An open, personal and confidential survey was carried out, with 158 questions on general data, ethnicity, health status, covid-19 tests, use of self-medication, use of medicinal plants or other chemical products, and use of antibiotics or antiparasitics, among other data. In the control of the patients, six months after finishing the survey, they were asked about the acceptance of the vaccine and the decision to be vaccinated or not. The results in 3,000 persons (50% female and 50% male) show frequent use of alternative or traditional medicine, even in health personnel or university studies. The study's conclusions reflect that people choose any of the therapies they have access to and even mix traditional treatments with traditional ones that are unproven or toxic. Keywords: knowledge, attitudes, practices, covid-19, formal medicine, traditional medicine

Perception Towards COVID-19 Related Symptoms and Traditional Medicine Used for Their Management Among Patients and Their Attendants in Ethiopian Comprehensive Specialized Hospitals: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusion

The Main Protease of SARS-CoV-2 as a Target for Phytochemicals against Coronavirus

In late December 2019, the first cases of COVID-19 emerged as an outbreak in Wuhan, China that later spread vastly around the world, evolving into a pandemic and one of the worst global health crises in modern history. The causative agent was identified as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Although several vaccines were authorized for emergency use, constantly emerging new viral mutants and limited treatment options for COVID-19 drastically highlighted the need for developing an efficient treatment for this disease. One of the most important viral components to target for this purpose is the main protease of the coronavirus (Mpro). This enzyme is an excellent target for a potential drug, as it is essential for viral replication and has no closely related homologues in humans, making its inhibitors unlikely to be toxic. Our review describes a variety of approaches that could be applied in search of potential inhibitors among plant-derived compounds, including virtual in silico screening (a data-driven approach), which could be structure-based or fragment-guided, the classical approach of high-throughput screening, and antiviral activity cell-based assays. We will focus on several classes of compounds reported to be potential inhibitors of Mpro, including phenols and polyphenols, alkaloids, and terpenoids.

The management of COVID 19 by plant extracts, essential oils and phytoconstituents: A review

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome virus 2 (SARSCoV- 2), it is a virus belonging to the family Coronaviridae which includes zoonotic viruses infecting mammals and birds. This disease emerged in December 2019 in Wuhan, China, and quickly developed into a global pandemic with high mortality rates. The magnitude of the pandemic has involved a global collaborative scientific response to develop effective preventive and therapeutic means using both traditional and advanced techniques. However, to date specific therapies for COVID-19 are not well established and only a few vaccines are approved for emergency use. Herbal remedies, especially essential oils (EOs) can boost immunity which plays a decisive role in the initiation and progression of the disease in the preliminary stage of a COVID-19 infection. The low cost and availability of medicinal plants as well as the almost non-existent side effects encourages their widespread use during the pandemic, hence a great need to identify plant extracts for anti-COVID 19 use. Although the majority of studies are done in silico, with little in vivo or in vitro study, we can have an idea for further later experiments.

Use of medicinal plants for COVID-19 prevention and respiratory symptom treatment during the pandemic in Cusco, Peru: A cross-sectional survey

BACKGROUND

The burden of the COVID-19 pandemic in Peru has led to people seeking alternative treatments as preventives and treatment options such as medicinal plants. This study aimed to assess factors associated with the use of medicinal plants as preventive or treatment of respiratory symptom related to COVID-19 during the pandemic in Cusco, Peru.

METHOD

A web-based cross-sectional study was conducted on general public (20- to 70-year-old) from August 31 to September 20, 2020. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire via Google Forms, it consisted of an 11-item questionnaire that was developed and validated by expert judgment using Aiken's V (Aiken's V > 0.9). Both descriptive statistics and bivariate followed by multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess factors associated with the use of medicinal plants for COVID-19 prevention and respiratory symptom treatment during the pandemic. Prevalence ratios (PR) with 95% Confidence Interval (CI), and a P-value of 0.05 was used to determine statistical significance.

RESULTS

A total of 1,747 respondents participated in the study, 80.2% reported that they used medicinal plants as preventives, while 71% reported that they used them to treat respiratory symptoms. At least, 24% of respondents used medicinal plants when presenting with two or more respiratory symptoms, while at least 11% used plants for malaise. For treatment or prevention, the multivariate analysis showed that most respondents used eucalyptus (p < 0.001 for both), ginger (p < 0.022 for both), spiked pepper (p < 0.003 for both), garlic (p = 0.023 for prevention), and chamomile (p = 0.011 for treatment). The respondents with COVID-19 (p < 0.001), at older ages (p = 0.046), and with a family member or friend who had COVID-19 (p < 0.001) used more plants for prevention. However, the respondents with technical or higher education used less plants for treatment (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

There was a significant use of medicinal plants for both prevention and treatment, which was associated with several population characteristics and whether respondents had COVID-19.

Phagocytosis, Degranulation and Extracellular Traps Release by Neutrophils-The Current Knowledge, Pharmacological Modulation and Future Prospects

Neutrophils are crucial elements of innate immune system, which assure host defense via a range of effector functions, such as phagocytosis, degranulation, and NET formation. The latest literature clearly indicates that modulation of effector functions of neutrophils may affect the treatment efficacy. Pharmacological modulation may affect molecular mechanisms activating or suppressing phagocytosis, degranulation or NET formation. In this review, we describe the role of neutrophils in physiology and in the course of bacterial and viral infections, illustrating the versatility and plasticity of those cells. This review also focus on the action of plant extracts, plant-derived compounds and synthetic drugs on effector functions of neutrophils. These recent advances in the knowledge can help to devise novel therapeutic approaches via pharmacological modulation of the described processes.

A status report with critical analysis of research trends in exploring medicinal plants as antiviral: Let us dig into the history to predict the future

The review article serves as a mini directory of medicinal plants (662 medicinal plants have been identified) that have been investigated for antiviral property between 2015 and 2019. Data have been extracted from Scopus using specific keywords followed by manual sorting to avoid any duplication. Critical analyses of handpicked data have been presented. Mapping of medicinal plants, followed by critical analysis on the families and plant parts investigated in the said tenure, and its correlation with the participating countries and virus types have been critically analyzed. Interceptive role of phytochemicals in impeding viral replication has also been taken note of. Emphasis on India's exploration of various medicinal plants has also been given. Also presents a tutelage, which is likely to revive the interest in natural products for search of potential antivirals. This review is expected to serve as a rich data bank and as a guiding principle for researchers who are planning to explore medicinal plants in search for potential antiviral. It is time that researchers need to revisit their countries' own history of traditional medicine to predict something worthful in future.