Coronaviruses - Volume 3, Issue 6, 2022

Background: Novel coronavirus pneumonia COVID-19 has become a serious threat to human health. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has a good clinical effect in the treatment of COVID-19, with a high effective rate and a low rate of turning to the serious stage. Objective: We generated the web-accessed anti-COVID-19 TCM database to provide the anti-COVID-19 TCM information to develop effective drugs for the treatment of COVID-19. Methods: Herein, we collected these prescriptions data by querying the CNKI and Wanfang Chinese databases, the clinical guidance for COVID-19 pneumonia diagnosis and treatment, and further set up the web-accessible anti-COVID-19 TCM database. Results: Altogether, 293 different prescriptions are applied in four different COVID-19 stages of treatment, and the prevention of COVID-19 is composed of 452 TCM components. Conclusion: The database provides comprehensive information for anti-COVID TCM and thus would help to investigate novel ways to develop new anti-COVID-19 agents.

Fruit, vegetables, and green tea contain quercetin (a flavonoid). Some of the diet's most significant sources of quercetin are apples, onions, tomatoes, broccoli, and green tea. Antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antibacterial, and anti-viral effects have been studied of quercetin. The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus, ribonucleic acid (RNA) polymerase, and other essential viral life-cycle enzymes are all prevented from entering the body by quercetin. Despite extensive in vitro and in vivo investigations on the immune-modulating effects of quercetin and vitamin C treatment. 3-methyl-quercetin has been shown to bind to essential proteins necessary to convert minus-strand RNA into positive-strand RNAs, preventing the replication of viral RNA in the cytoplasm. Quercetin has been identified as a potential SARS-CoV-2 3C-like protease (3CL^pro) suppressor in recent molecular docking studies and in silico assessment of herbal medicines. It has been demonstrated that quercetin increases the expression of heme oxygenase-1 through the nuclear factor erythroid-related factor 2 (Nrf2) signal network. Inhibition of heme oxygenase-1 may increase bilirubin synthesis, an endogenous antioxidant that defends cells. When human gingival fibroblast (HGF) cells were exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS), inflammatory cytokine production was inhibited. The magnesium (Mg⁺²) cation complexation improves quercetin free radical scavenging capacity, preventing oxidant loss and cell death. The main objective of this paper is to provide an overview of the pharmacological effects of quercetin, its protective role against SARS-CoV-2 infection, and any potential molecular processes.

The new COVID-19 presents some comorbidities, such as obesity, Alzheimer’s, and coronary risk, among others. We argue that the current understanding of some of these clinical conditions may illuminate the design of future COVID-19 studies to account for a bias that may be the cause of the paradoxical associations between COVID-19 mortality and cytokine storm. Given that we know some of the genetic mechanisms behind these diseases, it is possible to circumscribe these studies to some key genes that help us understand why some patients experience a cytokine storm and what the treatment strategies might be. In this paper, we discuss the role of A2M and APOE genes. A2M encodes a multifaceted protein which is highly expressed in the liver and released to the bloodstream associated with the apolipoprotein E. This association depends on the APOE genotype. A2M has protease-clearing activity binding of a broad range of proteases, such as thrombin and Factor Xa. It also presents the ability to bind to proinflammatory ligands, like cytokines. Further, A2M acts as chaperone of misfolded substrates, like betaamyloid peptide. The last two molecular functions grant it a key role in regulating both inflammatory processes, as well as extracellular protein homeostasis. For these reasons, we conclude that A2M-APOE association will have prophylactic, therapeutic, and prognostic implications; and the proper understanding of the physiological role of APOE and A2M in controlling inflammatory processes can shed further light on the putative treatment of COVID-19-derived cytokine storm.

Mucormycosis, commonly known as black fungus, is a life-threatening fungal infection belonging to the order Mucorales. It affects individuals with an impaired immune response or immune disorders such as diabetes mellitus, induced immunosuppression, hematological cancers, acquired immune deficiency syndrome, or who have undergone organ transplantation. The symptoms of black fungus include difficulty in breathing, blurred vision, coughing out blood, chest pain, and blackening over the area of the nose. Tissue necrosis is the main symptom of this infection . Its prevalence is increasing day by day and has been observed in vulnerable patients, including patients suffering from COVID-19 (coronavirus) and those who have been recovered. It has been observed that black fungus cases are increasing in recovered COVID patients, and various cases of white and yellow fungus are also reported. The treatment approach includes the use of antifungal agents, triazoles, surgery, combination therapy, etc. This review describes the clinical manifestation, predisposing factors, and treatment strategies of mucormycosis.

Background: The multitargeted computational approach for the design of drugs to treat severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) lung infection from herbal sources may lead to compound(s) that is/are safe (derived from natural sources), effective (act on predefined targets) and broad spectrum (active in both, adult and juvenile population). Objective: The present work aims at developing a specific and effective treatment for a lung infection in both the adult and juvenile population, caused due to SARS-CoV-2 through a computational approach. Methods: A systematic virtual screening of 27 phytoconstituents from 11 Indian herbs with antiviral, antiinflammatory, and immunomodulatory activity was performed. After applying the Lipinski rule of five, 19 compounds that fitted well were subjected to molecular docking studies using Molegro virtual docker 6.0 with two targets viz. SARS-CoV-2 main protease (M^pro) (PDB ID 6LU7) and ACE receptor (PDB ID 6M0J). The best-docked complexes were used to develop a merged feature pharmacophore using Ligandscout software, to know the structural requirements to develop multitarget inhibitor(s) of SARS-CoV- 2. Drug likeliness and ADMET studies were also performed. Results: The results revealed that Syringin, a glycoside from Tinospora cordifolia, has a good binding affinity towards both targets as compared to Remdesivir. Furthermore, drug likeliness and ADMET studies established its better bioavailability and low toxicity. Conclusion: The pharmacophores developed from protein-ligand complexes provided an important understanding to design multitarget inhibitor(s) of SARS-CoV-2 to treat COVID-19 lung infection in both the adult and juvenile populations. Syringin may be subjected to further wet-lab studies to establish the results obtained through in-silico studies.

Background: The Omicron variant B.1.1.529 has led to a new dynamic in the COVID-19 pandemic, with an increase in cases worldwide. Its rapid propagation favors the emergence of novel sublineages, including BA.4 and BA.5. The latter has shown increased transmissibility compared to other Omicron sub-lineages. In Senegal, the emergence of the Omicron variant in December 2021 characterized the triggering of a short and dense epidemiological wave that peaked at the end of February. This wave was followed by a period with a significant drop in the number of COVID-19 cases, but an upsurge in SARS-CoV-2 infection has been noted since mid-June. Objective: The purpose of this brief report is to give an update regarding the genomic situation of SARSCoV- 2 in Dakar during this phase of recrudescence of cases. Methods: We performed amplicon-based SARS-CoV-2 sequencing on nasopharyngeal swab samples from declared COVID-19 patients and outbound travelers that tested positive. Results: Ongoing genomic surveillance activities showed that more than half of recent COVID-19 cases were due to the BA.4 and BA.5 sub-lineages that share two critical mutations associated with increased transmissibility and immune response escape. The circulation of recombinants between Omicron sublineages was also noted. Conclusion: Despite the lack of proven severity of BA.4 and BA.5 sub-lineages, their increased transmissibility causes a rapid spread of the virus, hence a surge in the number of cases. This rapid spread constitutes a greater risk of exposure for vulnerable patients. To tackle this issue, any increase in the number of cases must be monitored to support public health stakeholders. Therefore, genomic surveillance is an ever-essential element in managing this pandemic.