Potential effects of curcumin in the treatment of COVID-19 infection

The main clinical manifestation of COVID-19 is the presence of respiratory symptoms, but some patients develop severe cardiovascular and renal complications. There is an urgency to understand the mechanism by which this virus causes complications so as to develop treatment options. Curcumin, a natural polyphenolic compound, could be a potential treatment option for patients with coronavirus disease. In this study, we review some of the potential effects of curcumin such as inhibiting the entry of virus to the cell, inhibiting encapsulation of the virus and viral protease, as well as modulating various cellular signaling pathways. This review provides a basis for further research and development of clinical applications of curcumin for the treatment of newly emerged SARS-CoV-2.

CONCLUSION AND CHALLENGES

In this review, we have attempted an overview of the potential antiviral effects of curcumin that can be helpful for researchers to further investigate the potency of curcumin against the new emerging SARSCoV-2 infection. The ability of curcumin to modulate a wide range of molecular targets makes it a suitable candidate for the management of coronavirus infection. Curcumin may have beneficial effects against COVID-19 infection via its ability to modulate the various molecular targets that contribute to the attachment and internalization of SARS-CoV-2 in many organs, including the liver, cardiovascular system, and kidney. Curcumin could also modulate cellular signaling pathways such as inflammation, apoptosis, and RNA replication. Curcumin may also suppress pulmonary edema and fibrosis-associated pathways in COVID-19 infection. Despite the potential beneficial effects and safety profile of curcumin against various diseases, the limited bioavailability of this turmericderived compound, especially via oral administration may be a problematic issue (Anand, Kunnumakkara, Newman, & Aggarwal, 2007). Yang et al. demonstrated that intravenous administration of curcumin (10 mg/kg) resulted in better bioavailability in comparison to oral administration with a higher dose (500 mg/kg) (K. Y. Yang, Lin, Tseng, Wang, & Tsai, 2007).

Several clinical trials have shown that the issue regarding the bioavailability of curcumin can be mitigated by administering higher concentrations within non-toxic limits (Kunnumakkara et al., 2019). In addition, many studies have suggested various ways to improve the bioavailability of curcumin such as manipulation and encapsulation of curcumin into micelles, liposomes, phospholipid complexes, exosomes, or polymeric nanocarrier formulation and also utilization of curcumin in combination with cellulosic derivatives, natural antioxidants, and a hydrophilic carrier (Jäger et al., 2014; Moballegh Nasery et al., 2020). Moreover, several studies have reported the synergistic therapeutic effects of curcumin in combination with other natural or synthetic compounds (Singh et al., 2013). Overall, the welldocumented anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects of curcumin along with the evidence on the anti-fibrotic and pulmonoprotective effects of this phytochemical on the lung tissue make it a promising candidate for the treatment of COVID-19.

Since curcumin is known to have strong inhibitory effects on NF-κB and several pro-inflammatory cytokines, it can be particularly helpful as an adjunct in reversing the fatal cytokine storm that occurs in serious cases of COVID-19. 6 ZAHEDIPOUR ET AL. To sum up, this review shows that curcumin as an antiviral and anti-inflammatory agent can be helpful for both prevention and treatment of new emerging coronavirus. However, well-designed clinical trials are needed to demonstrate the potential efficacy of curcumin against SARS-CoV-2 infection and its ensuing complications.

Reference & Source Information: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/

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