Manisha Parmar

Bio: Manisha Parmar is an academic researcher from Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Public health & Health care. The author has an hindex of 1, co-authored 2 publications receiving 7 citations.

Medicinal and therapeutic potential of withanolides from Withania somnifera against COVID-19

Abstract: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the etiological agent of the potentially fatal coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has currently affected over 87 million people with worldwide deaths nearing 1 9 million Amidst the developing vaccines and effective therapies, there is a need to develop alternative and supportive strategies for ameliorating the effects of SARS-CoV-2 infections in humans and treat COVID-19 patients Several medicinal plants and herbs contain useful phytochemicals, which are being explored to develop medicines and drugs to counter the COVID-19 pandemic Withania somnifera is a medicinal herb of growing importance that is extensively utilized in Ayurveda The medicinal attributes of W somnifera are owing to a broad range of bioactive secondary metabolites including steroidal lactones [withanone, withanolide D, withanolide A, and withaferin A (WFA)] Among these, WFA is one of the most interesting naturally occurring bioactive compounds that possess potent anti-tumorigenic, antiinflammatory, pro-apoptotic, anti-angiogenic, and anti-invasive activities It might bind to SARS-CoV-2 S protein and alter the S protein, thereby hindering its access into the host cells Withanone and Withanoside V can impede the functional activities of SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) Withanolides have been found to control cytokine secretions during infection and could alleviate the cytokine storm in the lungs The combined use of withanolides are several other drugs or therapeutic modalities, such as hydroxychloroquine and dexamethasone, has been demonstrated as an efficient strategy to improve the effectiveness of standard chemotherapy or design a robust therapeutic regime for COVID-19 treatment Nevertheless, exhaustive research efforts are required to explore the anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory potentialities of withanolides for alleviating the severity of the disease during SARS-CoV-2 infections This review highlights the medicinal and therapeutic potential of withanolides against COVID-19 © 2021 Manish Dhawan et al This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4 0 International License (https://creativecommons org/licenses/by/4 0/)

Tuberculosis during the covid-19: Impact, challenges and management

Abstract: The corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused substantial disruptions to health services due to overburdening the health system Hence, there are severe obstructions in tuberculosis (TB) services in India's primary health care and hospital settings Several restrictions, such as lockdown, self-isolations, and other public health guidelines to prevent viral transmission, impacted the delivery of essential facilities for TB management A significant reduction in tuberculosis testing in the public health sector has been noticed, which is an alarming situation in India However, there are several risks in managing TB due to rising cases of COVID-19 but maintaining the most critical prevention activities and healthcare services for tuberculosis could substantially reduce the overall impact of the COVID-19 pandemic This review focuses on the impact and challenges of COVID-19 on tuberculosis Further, the strategies to eradicate tuberculosis in the era of COVID-19 are also discussed © 2020, Editorial board of Journal of Experimental Biology and Agricultural Sciences All rights reserved

Diverse Immunological Factors Influencing Pathogenesis in Patients with COVID-19: A Review on Viral Dissemination, Immunotherapeutic Options to Counter Cytokine Storm and Inflammatory Responses

Abstract: The pathogenesis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is still not fully unraveled. Though preventive vaccines and treatment methods are out on the market, a specific cure for the disease has not been discovered. Recent investigations and research studies primarily focus on the immunopathology of the disease. A healthy immune system responds immediately after viral entry, causing immediate viral annihilation and recovery. However, an impaired immune system causes extensive systemic damage due to an unregulated immune response characterized by the hypersecretion of chemokines and cytokines. The elevated levels of cytokine or hypercytokinemia leads to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) along with multiple organ damage. Moreover, the immune response against SARS-CoV-2 has been linked with race, gender, and age; hence, this viral infection’s outcome differs among the patients. Many therapeutic strategies focusing on immunomodulation have been tested out to assuage the cytokine storm in patients with severe COVID-19. A thorough understanding of the diverse signaling pathways triggered by the SARS-CoV-2 virus is essential before contemplating relief measures. This present review explains the interrelationships of hyperinflammatory response or cytokine storm with organ damage and the disease severity. Furthermore, we have thrown light on the diverse mechanisms and risk factors that influence pathogenesis and the molecular pathways that lead to severe SARS-CoV-2 infection and multiple organ damage. Recognition of altered pathways of a dysregulated immune system can be a loophole to identify potential target markers. Identifying biomarkers in the dysregulated pathway can aid in better clinical management for patients with severe COVID-19 disease. A special focus has also been given to potent inhibitors of proinflammatory cytokines, immunomodulatory and immunotherapeutic options to ameliorate cytokine storm and inflammatory responses in patients affected with COVID-19.

A novel 2019: Coronavirus

Abstract: A novel coronavirus (SCoV) is the etiological agent of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) SCoV-like viruses were isolated from Himalayan palm civets found in a live-animal market in Guangdong, China Evidence of virus infection was also detected in other animals (including a raccoon dog, Nyctereutes procyonoides) and in humans working at the same market The detection of SCoV-like viruses in small, live wild mammals in a retail market indicates a route of interspecies transmission, although the natural reservoir is not known This review summarizes both classical and contemporary discoveries in the study of the molecular biology of these infectious agents, with particular emphasis on the nature and recognition of viral receptors, viral RNA synthesis, and the molecular interactions governing viral assembly

Medicinal Plants as Sources of Active Molecules Against COVID-19. LID - 1189

Abstract: The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-related Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) or novel coronavirus (COVID-19) infection has been declared world pandemic causing a worrisome number of deaths, especially among vulnerable citizens, in 209 countries around the world Although several therapeutic molecules are being tested, no effective vaccines or specific treatments have been developed Since the COVID-19 outbreak, different traditional herbal medicines with promising results have been used alone or in combination with conventional drugs to treat infected patients Here, we review the recent findings regarding the use of natural products to prevent or treat COVID-19 infection Furthermore, the mechanisms responsible for this preventive or therapeutic effect are discussed We conducted literature research using PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, and WHO website Dissertations and theses were not considered Only the situation reports edited by the WHO were included The different herbal products (extracts) and purified molecules may exert their anti-SARS-CoV-2 actions by direct inhibition of the virus replication or entry Interestingly, some products may block the ACE-2 receptor or the serine protease TMPRRS2 required by SARS-CoV-2 to infect human cells In addition, natural products were shown to inhibit the SARS-CoV-2 life-cycle related proteins such as papain-like or chymotrypsin-like proteases In conclusion, we suggest that natural products could be used alone or in combination as alternative medicines to treat/prevent COVID-19 infection Moreover, their structures may offer clues for the development of anti-SARS-CoV-2 drugs FAU - Benarba, Bachir

Withaferin A: a potential therapeutic agent against COVID-19 infection

Abstract: The outbreak and continued spread of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a preeminent global health threat that has resulted in the infection of over 6 million people worldwide In addition, the pandemic has claimed the lives of over 350,000 people worldwide Age and the presence of underlying comorbid conditions have been found to be key determinants of patient mortality One such comorbidity is the presence of an oncological malignancy, with cancer patients exhibiting an approximate two-fold increase in mortality rate Due to a lack of data, no consensus has been reached about the best practices for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients Interestingly, two independent research groups have discovered that Withaferin A (WFA), a steroidal lactone with anti-inflammatory and anti-tumorigenic properties, may bind to the viral spike (S-) protein of SARS-CoV-2 Further, preliminary data from our research group has demonstrated that WFA does not alter expression of ACE2 in the lungs of tumor-bearing female mice Downregulation of ACE2 has recently been demonstrated to increase the severity of COVID-19 Therefore, WFA demonstrates real potential as a therapeutic agent to treat or prevent the spread of COVID-19 due to the reported interference in viral S-protein to host receptor binding and its lack of effect on ACE2 expression in the lungs