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Nagoor Meeran M, Javed H, Sharma C, Goyal SN, Kumar S, Jha NK, Ojha S. Can Echinacea be a potential candidate to target immunity, inflammation, and infection - The trinity of coronavirus disease 2019. Heliyon 2021; 7:e05990. [PMID: 33585706 PMCID: PMC7870107 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e05990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2020] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is an ongoing public health emergency. The pathogenesis and complications advanced with infection mainly involve immune-inflammatory cascade. Therefore, the therapeutic strategy relies on immune modulation, reducing infectivity and inflammation. Given the interplay of infection and immune-inflammatory axis, the natural products received attention for preventive and therapeutic usage in COVID-19 due to their potent antiviral and anti-immunomodulatory activities. Recently, Echinacea preparations, particularly E. purpurea, have been suggested to be an important antiviral agent to be useful in COVID-19 by modulating virus entry, internalization and replication. In principle, the immune response and the resultant inflammatory process are important for the elimination of the infection, but may have a significant impact on SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis and may play a role in the clinical spectrum of COVID-19. Considering the pharmacological effects, therapeutic potential, and molecular mechanisms of Echinacea, we hypothesize that it could be a reasonably possible candidate for targeting infection, immunity, and inflammation in COVID-19 with recent recognition of cannabinoid-2 (CB2) receptors and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) mediated mechanisms of bioactive components that make them notable immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory and antiviral agent. The plausible reason for our hypothesis is that the presence of numerous bioactive agents in different parts of plants that may synergistically exert polypharmacological actions in regulating immune-inflammatory axis in COVID-19. Our proposition is to scientifically contemplate the therapeutic perspective and prospect of Echinacea on infection, immunity, and inflammation with a potential in COVID-19 to limit the severity and progression of the disease. Based on the clinical usage for respiratory infections, and relative safety in humans, further studies for the evidence-based approach to COVID-19 are needed. We do hope that Echinacea could be a candidate agent for immunomodulation in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- M.F. Nagoor Meeran
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, PO Box - 17666, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Hayate Javed
- Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, PO Box - 17666, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Charu Sharma
- Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, PO Box - 17666, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Sameer N. Goyal
- Shri Vile Parle Kelvani Mandal's Institute of Pharmacy, Dhule 424001, Maharashtra, India
| | - Sanjay Kumar
- Division of Hematology/Nephrology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St. SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
- Department of Life Sciences, School of Basic Science and Research, Sharda University, Knowledge Park III, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh 201310, India
| | - Niraj Kumar Jha
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Engineering & Technology (SET), Sharda University, Knowledge Park III, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh 201310, India
| | - Shreesh Ojha
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, PO Box - 17666, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
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Dvořák P, Doležalová J, Suchý P, Straková E, Zapletal D, Rulík V. Fatting parameters after duck egg exposure to γ-radiation. Poult Sci 2019; 98:820-827. [PMID: 30169731 DOI: 10.3382/ps/pey391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2017] [Accepted: 08/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
In our experiment, we deal with the phenomenon of radiation hormesis and improvements based on this phenomenon to different growing characteristics of the fast-growing, very feed-efficient, and with a high-yielding carcass hybrid of the Peking duck (Cherry Valley SM3 medium). In the first phase of the project, we exposed hatching duck eggs to low and middle doses of gamma radiation 60Co (0.06-2.00 Gy) before placing them into a setter in the hatchery. We then followed the standards of artificial incubation. The treatment of our chosen doses of gamma radiation has no significant influence on the history and results of hatching (from 85.5% to 92.6%); it was influenced only by the basic management and husbandry of the parent stock. From our observations we confirm that the Peking duck, despite genetic progress, retained its vitality and robustness. Its embryos are not damaged even with a dose of 2 Gy, which is over the deterministic effect of ionizing radiation for vertebrates. At the end of the fatting period a significant drop in plasma phosphorus levels was measured in the ducks; however, it was dependent on the radiation dose to which the hatching eggs were exposed (r = -0.965). A positive effect of radiation hormesis may be expected in the case of 1 Gy dose where the highest values of mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, combined hemoglobin, and drake weight were measured. Lower and higher doses of ionizing radiation used did not display these effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Dvořák
- Centre for Ionizing Radiation Application and Department of Gastronomy, Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - J Doležalová
- Centre for Ionizing Radiation Application and Department of Gastronomy, Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - P Suchý
- Department of Animal Husbandry and Animal Hygiene, Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - E Straková
- Department of Animal Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - D Zapletal
- Department of Animal Husbandry and Animal Hygiene, Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - V Rulík
- Centre for Ionizing Radiation Application and Department of Gastronomy, Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic
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El-Ashmawy N, El-Zamarany E, Salem M, El-Bahrawy H, Al-Ashmawy G. In vitro and in vivo studies of the immunomodulatory effect of Echinacea purpurea on dendritic cells. J Genet Eng Biotechnol 2015; 13:185-192. [PMID: 30647582 PMCID: PMC6299863 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgeb.2015.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2015] [Revised: 04/18/2015] [Accepted: 05/15/2015] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Extracts of Echinacea have been used traditionally for the treatment of diverse types of infections and wounds. They have become very familiar immunostimulant herbal medicine. However, the specific immunomodulatory effect of Echinacea remains to be elucidated. AIM In our study, the effect of Echinacea purpurea extract on the generation of immature DCs from monocytes was described, as well as its effect on DC differentiation. In addition, an in vivo experiment was conducted to investigate whether treatment of mice with extracts derived from E. purpurea has immunomodulatory effect on murine splenic DCs. METHODS Immature DCs were generated by incubating peripheral blood monocytes with cytokine cocktail (GM-CSF + IL-4) and matured by tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). The cells were randomized to 5 groups to investigate E. purpurea effect in different stages. Phenotypic analysis of cell marker CD83-expressed on DCs was performed by flow cytometry. Mice were randomly divided into 3 groups; control, E. purpurea treated and E. purpurea-TNF-α treated group. The murine splenic DCs were isolated and phenotyped for CD83 and CD11c by flow cytometry. RESULTS Treatment of monocytes with E. purpurea prior to addition of the maturation factor TNF-α resulted in a significant decrease in the yield of DC expressing CD83. On the other hand, immature DCs generated in the culture in the presence of GM-CSF and IL-4, when treated simultaneously with E. purpurea and TNF-α, exhibited an insignificant change in the yield of CD83-expressing DCs compared with untreated control. The in vivo experiments showed that splenic DCs obtained from mice treated with E. purpurea with or without TNF-α did not exhibit significant changes in CD83 or CD11c compared with those obtained from control mice. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that the immunomodulatory mechanisms of E. purpurea impact generation fate of DCs rather than differentiation stages. The results obtained in the in vivo study utilizing murine splenic DCs supported those observed in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- N.E. El-Ashmawy
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tanta University, Egypt
| | - E.A. El-Zamarany
- Department of Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Egypt
| | - M.L. Salem
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Egypt
| | - H.A. El-Bahrawy
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tanta University, Egypt
| | - G.M. Al-Ashmawy
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tanta University, Egypt
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Ghazy AA, Abu El-Nazar SY, Ghoneim HE, Taha ARM, Abouelella AM. Effect of murine exposure to gamma rays on the interplay between Th1 and Th2 lymphocytes. Front Pharmacol 2015; 6:74. [PMID: 25914644 PMCID: PMC4391034 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2015.00074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2015] [Accepted: 03/18/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Gamma radiation radiotherapy is one of the widely used treatments for cancer. There is an accumulating evidence that adaptive immunity is significantly contributes to the efficacy of radiotherapy. This study is carried out to investigate the effect of gamma rays on the interplay between Th1/Th2 response, splenocyte lymphoproliferative response to polyclonal mitogenic activators and lymphocytic capacity to produce IL-12 and IL-10 in mice. Results showed that exposure of intact spleens to different doses of γ-rays (5, 10, 20 Gy) caused spontaneous and dose-dependent immune stimulation manifested by enhanced cell proliferation and elevated IL-12 production with decreased IL-10 release (i.e., Th1 bias). While exposure of splenocytes suspension to different doses of γ-rays (5, 10, 20 Gy) showed activation in splenocytes stimulated by PWM at 5 Gy then a state of conventional immune suppression that is characterized by being dose-dependent and is manifested by decreased cell proliferation and IL-12 release accompanied by increase in IL-10 production (i.e., Th2 bias). In addition, we investigated the exposure of whole murine bodies to different doses of γ-rays and found that the exposure to low dose γ-rays (0.2 Gy) caused a state of immune stimulation terminated by a remarkable tendency for immune suppression. Exposure to 5 or 10 Gy of γ-rays resulted in a state of immune stimulation (Th1 bias), but exposure to 20 Gy showed a standard state of immune suppression (Th2 bias). The results indicated that apparently we can control the immune response by controlling the dose of γ-rays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amany A Ghazy
- Department of Immunology, Medical Research Institute, Alexandria University Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Salma Y Abu El-Nazar
- Department of Immunology, Medical Research Institute, Alexandria University Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Hossam E Ghoneim
- Department of Immunology, Medical Research Institute, Alexandria University Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Abdul-Rahman M Taha
- Department of Medical Biophysics, Medical Research Institute, Alexandria University Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Amira M Abouelella
- Department of Radiation Biology, National Centre for Radiation Research and Technology, Atomic Energy Authority Cairo, Egypt
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Tawfik SS, Abouelella AM, Shahein YE. Curcumin protection activities against γ-rays-induced molecular and biochemical lesions. BMC Res Notes 2013; 6:375. [PMID: 24053347 PMCID: PMC3851857 DOI: 10.1186/1756-0500-6-375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2013] [Accepted: 09/12/2013] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Curcumin is a yellow-pigment phenolic compound used as a food spice and has a broad spectrum of antioxidant, anti-carcinogenic, anti-mutagenic and anti-inflammatory properties. Methods Radio-protective efficacy of curcumin; diferuloylmethane (C21H20O6) was evaluated using molecular and biochemical assays in male mice after exposure to 3 Gy γ-rays. Curcumin was given at a dose of 400 μmol/ kg body weight via gastric tubes for 5 following days either pre-, post- or both pre- and post-exposure. Results The incidence of aberrant cells and aberration types (mostly chromatids, breaks and fragments) was reduced with curcumin dosage as compared to irradiated group. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), hydroperoxide (HP), xanthine oxidase (XO) and apoptotic markers (DNA- fragmentation and caspase-3 activation) were increased significantly, whereas levels of glutathione (GSH) and the enzymatic antioxidants [Superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx)] were significantly depleted in γ-irradiated mice. Curcumin treatments of mice groups including the 5 days pre-irradiation treated group (protected), the 5 days post-irradiation treated group (treated), and the curcumin treated group 5 days pre- and post-irradiation (protracted), have attenuated the liver toxic effects of γ-rays as manifested by reducing the levels of TBARS, HP, XO and DNA fragmentation. Curcumin has also rescued the depletion of GSH and the enzymatic-antioxidant status. Conclusions Curcumin has significant radio-protective and radio-recovery activities in γ-irradiated mice. It has antioxidant potential against γ-rays-induced cytogenetic, molecular and biochemical lesions in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sameh S Tawfik
- Molecular Biology Department, National Research Centre, P, O, Box: 33211, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt.
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Yousri R, Noaman E, Shawi OE, Fahmy N, Ghazy M. Evaluation of Anti-Oxidant Status and Radioprotective Activity of a Novel Anti-Cancer Drug in Mice. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011. [DOI: 10.4236/jct.2011.25083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Haller J, Hohmann J, Freund TF. The effect of Echinacea preparations in three laboratory tests of anxiety: comparison with chlordiazepoxide. Phytother Res 2010; 24:1605-13. [DOI: 10.1002/ptr.3181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
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