Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mohammed S. Razzaque
Summary: The global pandemic of COVID-19 has led to restrictions on human movement worldwide. Therapeutic guidelines have been provided by health organizations, but a universally available prophylactic measure is yet to be established. Studies suggest that zinc could potentially reduce viral replication and boost immune responses, offering a shield against COVID-19.
COMPUTATIONAL AND STRUCTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Jessica M. Conway, Pia Abel zur Wiesch
Summary: The antiviral drug remdesivir has been approved for treating COVID-19 by regulatory bodies, but its efficacy and toxicity concerns have sparked debates. Computational models are being used to predict drug efficacy and balancing it with toxicity, particularly due to the complexities of its metabolization. Studies suggest that optimizing dosing regimens and combining remdesivir with other antivirals could potentially enhance efficacy and prevent resistance.
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Dilina do Nascimento Marreiro, Kyria Jayanne Climaco Cruz, Ana Raquel Soares de Oliveira, Jennifer Beatriz Silva Morais, Betania de Jesus E. Silva de Almendra Freitas, Stefany Rodrigues de Sousa Melo, Loanne Rocha dos Santos, Bruna Emanuele Pereira Cardoso, Thaline Milany da Silva Dias
Summary: Literature shows the importance of Zinc as an essential mineral immunomodulator with relevant antiviral activity in the body. Therefore, although there is a scarcity of studies evaluating Zinc supplementation in patients with COVID-19, the results on the topic show the necessity of controlling Zinc mineral deficiency and maintaining its homeostasis in the body to strengthen the immune system and improve the prevention of highly complex viral infections, such as COVID-19.
BRITISH JOURNAL OF NUTRITION
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ademola Adetokunbo Oyagbemi, Temitayo Olabisi Ajibade, Yapo Guillaume Aboua, Idayat Titilayo Gbadamosi, Aduragbenro Deborah A. Adedapo, Abimbola Obemisola Aro, Olumuyiwa Abiola Adejumobi, Emma Thamahane-Katengua, Temidayo Olutayo Omobowale, Olufunke Olubunmi Falayi, Taiwo Olaide Oyagbemi, Blessing Seun Ogunpolu, Fasilat Oluwakemi Hassan, Iyanuoluwa Omolola Ogunmiluyi, Olufunke Eunice Ola-Davies, Adebowale Benard Saba, Adeolu Alex Adedapo, Sanah Malomile Nkadimeng, Lyndy Joy McGaw, Prudence Ngalula Kayoka-Kabongo, Oluwafemi Omoniyi Oguntibeju, Momoh Audu Yakubu
Summary: The SARS-CoV-2 virus causing COVID-19 has led to unprecedented global health crisis and economic catastrophe. The race for vaccine development and use of available drugs against COVID-19 continues, with potential benefits from zinc supplementation being explored as a possible innovative therapeutic approach.
JOURNAL OF FOOD BIOCHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Ayse Ozlem Mete, Kubra Kocak, Ahmet Saracaloglu, Seniz Demiryurek, Ozgur Altinbas, Abdullah T. Demiryurek
Summary: The study evaluated the effects of antiviral drug therapy on the serum thiol/disulphide homeostasis and NO levels in COVID-19 patients. The results showed a significant increase in total and native thiol levels after treatment, with no significant changes in disulphide levels or ratios. Additionally, there was a decrease in serum NO levels post-treatment.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Food Science & Technology
Fan Wang, Jiayi Zhong, Rui Zhang, Yongzhi Sun, Yingran Dong, Maoqing Wang, Changhao Sun
Summary: Zinc plays a crucial role in maintaining immune function and has direct and indirect antiviral activities, showing a correlation with susceptibility and severity of COVID-19. Zinc supplementation can enhance immunity, decrease susceptibility, shorten illness duration, and reduce the severity of COVID-19.
CRITICAL REVIEWS IN FOOD SCIENCE AND NUTRITION
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Craig J. Neal, Candace R. Fox, Tamil Selvan Sakthivel, Udit Kumar, Yifei Fu, Christina Drake, Griffith D. Parks, Sudipta Seal
Summary: The COVID19 pandemic has raised global awareness of emerging viruses and antiviral therapies, particularly the transmissibility and infectivity of respiratory viruses. This study developed two silver-modified formulations of cerium oxide with specific antiviral activities, demonstrating potential for highly effective antiviral materials.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Zhongmin Tang, Xingcai Zhang, Yiqing Shu, Ming Guo, Han Zhang, Wei Tao
Summary: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, nanotechnology plays a significant role in antiviral research, particularly in drug and vaccine delivery, interference in the virus life cycle, and pneumonia treatment.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Samy M. El-Megharbel, Mohammed Alsawat, Fawziah A. Al-Salmi, Reham Z. Hamza
Summary: The newly synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles show high anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity but have some cytotoxic effects on the cell host. Further research is recommended to investigate complexes of other compounds with varying concentrations to reduce cellular toxicity and enhance antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Mario Cruciani, Ilaria Pati, Francesca Masiello, Simonetta Pupella, Vincenzo De Angelis
Summary: Nirmatrelvir/ritonavir has shown to reduce mortality and hospital admission rates in COVID-19 patients without increasing the occurrence of overall and serious adverse events, based on low to moderate certainty of evidence from systematic reviews. The methodological quality of the systematic reviews was assessed to be high, providing confidence in the generated results.
JOURNAL OF ANTIMICROBIAL CHEMOTHERAPY
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Lalita Subedi, Stephanie Tchen, Bhakta Prasad Gaire, Bingren Hu, Kurt Hu
Summary: The novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19, has become a global pandemic, affecting people of all ages. Nutraceuticals and phytochemicals, such as vitamins C, D, E, zinc, melatonin, and other functional foods, may have potential therapeutic efficacies in fighting the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Daniel Deckenbach, Joerg J. Schneider
Summary: Researchers have developed a new porous carbon matrix with finely dispersed ZnO nanoparticles as an anode material to improve the zinc stability in zinc-air batteries, showing that the charging time affects the discharge capacity while the coulombic efficiency is minimally affected. At lower current densities, a high mean discharge capacity of 207 mAh/g is achieved, while higher current densities facilitate a comparable high overall coulombic efficiency of 83%.
JOURNAL OF POWER SOURCES
(2021)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Summary: The authors of the study reported the interim results of using four repurposed antiviral drugs (remdesivir, hydroxychloroquine, lopinavir, and interferon beta-1a) in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. The study showed that these drug regimens had little or no effect on overall mortality, initiation of ventilation, and duration of hospital stay.
NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Stella Wolfgruber, Julia Rieger, Olavo Cardozo, Benjamin Punz, Martin Himly, Andreas Stingl, Patricia M. A. Farias, Peter M. Abuja, Kurt Zatloukal
Summary: The highly contagious SARS-CoV-2 virus spreads primarily through respiratory droplets, aerosols, and contaminated surfaces. In addition to antiviral drugs, the decontamination of surfaces and personal protective equipment (PPE) plays a crucial role in reducing the spread of infection. This study investigated the antiviral activity of two novel zinc-oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NP) against SARS-CoV-2 in vitro.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Nikola Gligorijevic, Mirjana Radomirovic, Olgica Nedic, Marija Stojadinovic, Urmila Khulal, Dragana Stanic-Vucinic, Tanja Cirkovic Velickovic
Summary: The global outbreak of COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 has led to numerous clinical trials investigating the potential of polyphenols in prevention and treatment, providing a solid basis for developing polyphenol-based natural approaches for preventing and treating COVID-19.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Biophysics
Mai Mansour, Enas Elmowafy, Heba A. Gad
Summary: The study focused on the use of Myrj 59 as a stabilizer for preparing cubosomal drug carriers, showing promising results for better diabetes pharmacotherapy. Results indicated that IP administration of REP cubosomes and cubosomal gel exhibited superior long-acting in-vivo traits compared to IN administration.
COLLOIDS AND SURFACES B-BIOINTERFACES
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Hend Mohamed Abdel-Bar, Adam A. Walters, Julie Tzu-Wen Wang, Khuloud T. Al-Jamal
Summary: This study demonstrated the feasibility of lipid polymer hybrid nanoparticles (LPH) as a platform for the combined delivery of small interfering RNA (siRNA) and etoposide (Eto) in lung cancer treatment. The optimized LPH formulations showed improved cellular uptake of siRNA, leading to enhanced cytotoxicity and high transfection efficiency. In vivo studies confirmed preferential distribution of the nanoparticles in lung, liver, and spleen, resulting in superior therapeutic outcomes in a lung tumor model. Immunological analyses revealed increased immune cell populations in the lung following combined therapy, suggesting the potential of this system for combined chemotherapy and immunotherapy in lung cancer treatment.
ADVANCED HEALTHCARE MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Marwa A. A. Fayed, Mohammed Farrag El-Behairy, Inas A. Abdallah, Hend Mohamed Abdel-Bar, Hanan Elimam, Ahmed Mostafa, Yassmin Moatasim, Khaled A. M. Abouzid, Yaseen A. M. M. Elshaier
Summary: This study conducted virtual screening of marine bioactive compounds and molecular docking against key proteins of SARS-CoV-2, identifying compounds with potential antiviral activities such as flavonoids, acyl indole, and pyrrole carboxamide alkaloids. Thalassoilin (A-B) found in the Red Sea showed the highest binding and similarity outcomes among all target proteins, suggesting its significance in drug discovery for combatting the COVID-19 pandemic.
ARABIAN JOURNAL OF CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Shaymaa Elsayed Khater, Ahmed El-khouly, Hend Mohamed Abdel-Bar, Abdulaziz Mohsen Al-mahallawi, Dalia Mahmoud Ghorab
Summary: This study utilized molecular docking and nano-hybrid technology to validate the therapeutic potential of SSRIs against COVID-19, particularly the binding of Fluoxetine hydrochloride (FH) with the SARS-COV-2 main protease. Optimization of the FH-LPH nanoparticle formulation improved loading efficiency and efficacy.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Hadel A. Abo El-Enin, Marwa F. Ahmed, Ibrahim A. Naguib, Shaymaa W. El-Far, Mohammed M. Ghoneim, Izzeddin Alsalahat, Hend Mohamed Abdel-Bar
Summary: Schizophrenia is a mental disorder affecting cognition, behavior, and emotions. Oral olanzapine (OZ) metabolism and P-glycoprotein substrate properties necessitate a nasal delivery pathway to target the brain and reduce systemic side effects. The use of polymeric micelles as nano-carriers for OZ shows promise in improving CNS targeting for enhanced anti-schizophrenic effects.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mohamed Hamdi, Enas Elmowafy, Hend Mohamed Abdel-Bar, Akram M. ElKashlan, Khuloud T. Al-Jamal, Gehanne A. S. Awad
Summary: Drug covalently bound to polymers has formed a promising drug delivery platform with targeting ability, boosting drug loading and controlled release. This study demonstrated that entecavir conjugated to hyaluronic acid in lipid nanohybrids can target Kupffer cells and hepatocytes.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
(2022)
Meeting Abstract
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Josef Huntington, Hend Mohamed Abdel-Bar, Manendra Pachauri, Mateusz Tomczyk, Yue Qin, Luca Venditti, Khuloud Al-Jamal, Mauro Giacca
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR AND CELLULAR CARDIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Hend Mohamed Abdel-Bar, Alaa S. Tulbah, Hany W. Darwish, Rania Salama, Ibrahim A. Naguib, Heba A. Yassin, Hadel Abo A. El-Enin
Summary: This study aimed to develop intravenous Quetiapine (QP) albumin nanoparticles (NPs) for improving QP antipsychotic activity and brain targeting. The results showed that QP albumin NPs improved QP's antipsychotic activity and reduced its side effects.
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Hadel A. Abo El-Enin, Alaa S. Tulbah, Hany W. Darwish, Rania Salama, Ibrahim A. Naguib, Heba A. Yassin, Hend Mohamed Abdel-Bar
Summary: The feasibility of using lipid-polymer hybrid (LPH) nanocarriers for intranasal delivery of ziprasidone (ZP) was explored. ZP-loaded LPH with optimized particle size and drug encapsulation efficiency were prepared. The studies demonstrated the efficacy of LPH in crossing the blood-brain barrier, achieving higher targeting efficiency and better antipsychotic activity compared to intravenous administration.
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Yue Qin, Adam A. Walters, Nadia Rouatbi, Julie Tzu-Wen Wang, Hend Mohamed Abdel-Bar, Khuloud T. Al-Jamal
Summary: This study established a model for predicting the effects of different lipid compositions on particle size, TNA encapsulation, and transfection efficiency using a minimum run of 24 SNALP formulations. The results showed that particle size, in vitro and in vivo transfection efficiency, and encapsulation efficiency were affected by lipid compositions. However, in vitro transfection efficiency could not predict in vivo transfection effects. The Design of Experiments approach described in this study can provide comprehensive optimization of LNPs for various applications.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Mohamed A. Salem, Osama G. Mohamed, Esraa M. Mosalam, Aya Ibrahim Elberri, Hend Mohamed Abdel-Bar, Mariam Hassan, Ahmed A. Al-Karmalawy, Ashootosh Tripathi, Shahira M. Ezzat, Hend E. Abo Mansour
Summary: In this study, the researchers conducted a comprehensive analysis and evaluation of selected vegetable by-products, specifically potato, onion, and garlic peels. The results showed that onion peel extract had higher polyphenolic contents, good antioxidant activity, potential anti-osteoarthritis activity, and antimicrobial activity, particularly against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Moreover, onion peel extract exhibited promising wound healing activity and could be used as a natural by-product for future evaluation in the treatment of wounds and osteoarthritis.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Hend Mohamed Abdel-Bar, Inas A. Abdallah, Marwa A. A. Fayed, Yassmin Moatasim, Ahmed Mostafa, Mohammed Farrag El-Behairy, Hanan Elimam, Yaseen A. M. M. Elshaier, Khaled A. M. Abouzid
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for innovative approaches to address the disaster caused by emergent pathogens. Lipid polymer hybrid nanoparticles were used as a platform for drug delivery to combat SARS-CoV-2 replication, showing promising results in inhibiting the virus. Further studies are warranted to explore the potential of these drugs for combating the outbreak.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Hend Mohamed Abdel-Bar, Adam A. Walters, Yau Lim, Nadia Rouatbi, Yue Qin, Fatemeh Gheidari, Shunping Han, Rihab Osman, Julie Tzu-Wen Wang, Khuloud T. Al-Jamal
Summary: The study developed a stable nucleic acid-lipid particles (SNALPs) formulation for the simultaneous delivery of ICD inducing drug and siRNA targeting CD47 for enhanced ICD. The results demonstrated the potential of this combination as a potent anti-tumor strategy for future clinical studies.