A team of scientists from Thailand has developed a curcumin-containing oro-nasal film spray, which shows potential antiviral activity and mucosal immunity-boosting activity against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and influenza viruses.
The study is published in the Virology Journal.
Background
SARS-CoV-2, the causative pathogen of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, is an enveloped RNA virus that primarily causes mild to severe respiratory infections. Influenza virus types A, B, and C are also RNA viruses that cause seasonal respiratory infections commonly known as flu.
Infections caused by SARS-CoV-2 and influenza viruses are associated with high mortality rates. Although both viruses can affect people from all age groups, more deadly infections occur in older people and immunocompromised patients.
Bioactive compounds derived from plants have gained immense attention in the medical community because of their potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and antimicrobial activities. Curcumin is a promising plant-derived compound that shows potential antiviral and immunomodulatory activities against SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A virus.
In this study, scientists have developed an oro-nasal film spray containing curcumin and tested its antiviral and mucosal innate immunity-boosting activities against SARS-CoV-2 and influenza viruses.
Various actions of the curcumin film spray. Formulation of curcumin film spray shows various actions on prevention of COVID-19; First, it can inhibit SARS-CoV-2 infection by inhibiting ACE-2 binding. Second, the film spray upregulates the production of antimicrobial peptides LL-37 and HD-5 produced by oral epithelial cells, which have been previously reported to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 infection in silico. Third, the film spray induced the production of antiinflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-α produced by oral epithelial cells. In addition, the film spray inhibits influenza virus infection.The infographic was designed by BioRender.com (https://app.biorender.com)
Study design
The antiviral activity of oro-nasal film spray containing 10 µg/ml of curcumin was tested against SARS-CoV-2, influenza A/H1N1, influenza A/H3N2, and influenza B by plaque reduction assay. Different cytotoxicity assays were conducted to determine the viability of oral keratinocytes, nasal epithelial cells, and other tested cell lines in response to the film spray.
Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was conducted to determine the levels of oral and nasal innate immune markers (LL-37, HD-5, and human β defensin 2) in response to the film spray. Moreover, the levels of pro-inflammatory markers (interleukins, tumor necrosis factor, and interferon) were also determined.
Important observations
The fundamental physical properties of the curcumin formulation, including color, pH, droplet size, osmolarity, and viscosity, were tested in the study. The findings showed no alteration in properties after freeze-thawing, indicating the stability of the formulation.
Regarding the cytotoxicity and antiviral activity of curcumin, the study found that the compound is capable of inhibiting viral infection at 6.25 µg/ml concentration by blocking the interaction between SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and human cell membrane receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). At the tested concentration, no cytotoxic effect of curcumin compound was observed.
Similar to the curcumin compound, curcumin-containing film spray showed significant efficacy in inhibiting viral infection at 10 µg/ml concentration without affecting cell viability. The selectivity index of curcumin compound and curcumin-containing film spray was estimated to be 1.23 and 1.68, respectively. The selectivity index defines the window between cytotoxicity and antiviral activity. The higher the index value, the more effective and safer a drug would be during an in vivo treatment for a given viral infection.
Regarding antiviral activities against all tested viruses, the study found that curcumin film spray has the highest inhibitory activity against SARS-CoV-2, followed by influenza B virus and influenza A/H1N1 virus. However, the spray showed only a slight inhibitory activity against influenza A/H3N2 virus.
Effect of curcumin film spray on mucosal innate immunity
The estimation of oral and nasal innate immunity markers revealed that curcumin film spray could significantly induce the secretion of antimicrobial peptides LL-37 and HD-5 and reduce the secretion of hBD-2 protein by oral keratinocytes. However, no upregulated secretion of antimicrobial peptides from nasal epithelial cells was detected in response to the curcumin spray.
Regarding inflammatory cytokines, oral keratinocytes produced an upregulated amount of interleukin 6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in response to curcumin film spray. However, nasal epithelial cells did not experience such an effect.
Study significance
The study describes the antiviral and immunomodulatory activities of a novel curcumin-containing oro-nasal film spray. The spray exhibits significant inhibitory activity against SARS-CoV-2 and influenza viruses without inducing cytotoxicity at therapeutic doses. The spray is also capable of inducing the secretion of antimicrobial peptides and anti-inflammatory mediators by oral keratinocytes.
Overall, the study indicates that this curcumin film spray may be effectively used to block viral entry into host cells, prevent lung injury, and reduce disease severity.
- Nittayananta W. 2024. A novel film spray containing curcumin inhibits SARS-CoV-2 and influenza virus infection and enhances mucosal immunity. Virology Journal. https://virologyj.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12985-023-02282-x
News
Advancements and clinical translation of intelligent nanodrugs for breast cancer treatment
A comprehensive review in "Biofunct. Mater." meticulously details the most recent advancements and clinical translation of intelligent nanodrugs for breast cancer treatment. This paper presents an exhaustive overview of subtype-specific nanostrategies, the clinical benefits [...]
It’s Not “All in Your Head”: Scientists Develop Revolutionary Blood Test for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
A 96% accurate blood test for ME/CFS could transform diagnosis and pave the way for future long COVID detection. Researchers from the University of East Anglia and Oxford Biodynamics have created a highly accurate [...]
How Far Can the Body Go? Scientists Find the Ultimate Limit of Human Endurance
Even the most elite endurance athletes can’t outrun biology. A new study finds that humans hit a metabolic ceiling at about 2.5 times their resting energy burn. When ultra-runners take on races that last [...]
World’s Rivers “Overdosing” on Human Antibiotics, Study Finds
Researchers estimate that approximately 8,500 tons of antibiotics enter river systems each year after passing through the human body and wastewater treatment processes. Rivers spanning millions of kilometers across the globe are contaminated with [...]
Yale Scientists Solve a Century-Old Brain Wave Mystery
Yale scientists traced gamma brain waves to thalamus-cortex interactions. The discovery could reveal how brain rhythms shape perception and disease. For more than a century, scientists have observed rhythmic waves of synchronized neuronal activity [...]
Can introducing peanuts early prevent allergies? Real-world data confirms it helps
New evidence from a large U.S. primary care network shows that early peanut introduction, endorsed in 2015 and 2017 guidelines, was followed by a marked decline in clinician-diagnosed peanut and overall food allergies among [...]
Nanoparticle blueprints reveal path to smarter medicines
Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) are the delivery vehicles of modern medicine, carrying cancer drugs, gene therapies and vaccines into cells. Until recently, many scientists assumed that all LNPs followed more or less the same blueprint, [...]
How nanomedicine and AI are teaming up to tackle neurodegenerative diseases
When I first realized the scale of the challenge posed by neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), I felt simultaneously humbled and motivated. These disorders are not caused [...]
Self-Organizing Light Could Transform Computing and Communications
USC engineers have demonstrated a new kind of optical device that lets light organize its own route using the principles of thermodynamics. Instead of relying on switches or digital control, the light finds its own [...]
Groundbreaking New Way of Measuring Blood Pressure Could Save Thousands of Lives
A new method that improves the accuracy of interpreting blood pressure measurements taken at the ankle could be vital for individuals who are unable to have their blood pressure measured on the arm. A newly developed [...]
Scientist tackles key roadblock for AI in drug discovery
The drug development pipeline is a costly and lengthy process. Identifying high-quality "hit" compounds—those with high potency, selectivity, and favorable metabolic properties—at the earliest stages is important for reducing cost and accelerating the path [...]
Nanoplastics with environmental coatings can sneak past the skin’s defenses
Plastic is ubiquitous in the modern world, and it's notorious for taking a long time to completely break down in the environment - if it ever does. But even without breaking down completely, plastic [...]
Chernobyl scientists discover black fungus feeding on deadly radiation
It looks pretty sinister, but it might actually be incredibly helpful When reactor number four in Chernobyl exploded, it triggered the worst nuclear disaster in history, one which the surrounding area still has not [...]
Long COVID Is Taking A Silent Toll On Mental Health, Here’s What Experts Say
Months after recovering from COVID-19, many people continue to feel unwell. They speak of exhaustion that doesn’t fade, difficulty breathing, or an unsettling mental haze. What’s becoming increasingly clear is that recovery from the [...]
Study Delivers Cancer Drugs Directly to the Tumor Nucleus
A new peptide-based nanotube treatment sneaks chemo into drug-resistant cancer cells, providing a unique workaround to one of oncology’s toughest hurdles. CiQUS researchers have developed a novel molecular strategy that allows a chemotherapy drug to [...]
Scientists Begin $14.2 Million Project To Decode the Body’s “Hidden Sixth Sense”
An NIH-supported initiative seeks to unravel how the nervous system tracks and regulates the body’s internal organs. How does your brain recognize when it’s time to take a breath, when your blood pressure has [...]
