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The smart design of nanoparticles with varying surfaces may open a new avenue for potential biomedical applications. Consequently, several approaches have been established for controlled synthesis to develop the unique physicochemical properties of nanoparticles. However, many of the synthesis and functionalization methods are chemical-based and might be toxic to limit the full potential of nanoparticles. Here, curcumin (a plant-derived material) based synthesis of gold (Au) nanoparticles, followed by the development of a suitable exterior corona using isoniazid (INH, antibiotic), tyrosine (Tyr, amino acid), and quercetin (Qrc, antioxidant), is reported. All these nanoparticles (Cur-Au, Cur-Au INH , Cur-Au Tyr , and Cur-Au Qrc ) possess inherent peroxidasemimicking natures depending on the surface corona of respective nanoparticles, and they are found to be excellent candidates for free radical scavenging action. The peroxidase-mimicking nanoparticle interactions with red blood cells and mouse macrophages confirmed their hemo-and biocompatible nature. Moreover, these surface-engineered Au nanoparticles were found to be suitable in subsiding key pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin-1β (IL-1β). The inherent peroxidase-mimicking behavior and anti-inflammatory potential without any significant toxicity of these nanoparticles may open new prospects for nanomedicine.

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In 2019, the pandemic induced by the rapid spread of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 'SARS-CoV-2', also named coronavirus disease 'COVID-19', has rapidly caused serious health, economic, social, and political issues worldwide. This has been accentuated by asymptomatic carriers, fast viral mutations, incoherent lockdown policies, and limited methods of detection and treatment. Nucleic acid tests for COVID-19 are lengthy and complicated, and the rapid antibody tests produce false-negative diagnoses, particularly in the early stage of infection. Moreover, there are no specific and effective medicines available for treatment. Therefore, rapid diagnostics and therapeutics are urgently required. Here, we argue that nanozymesenzyme-mimicking nanoparticles-could be used for faster, more sensitive, and accurate detection and treatment of the COVID-19. Indeed, nanozymes have high surface areas allowing easier bioconjugation for detection, and nanozymes possess integrated drug-functionalization for treatment. Moreover, the size, composition, and surface chemistry of nanozymes can be rationally designed for improved theranostic applications. COVID-19 historyThe COVID-19 appeared in Wuhan, China, due to emergence of a novel strain of coronavirus (Sallard et al. 2021), which was provisionally named '2019-nCoV' by the World Health Organization (WHO). Later, the virus was renamed 'SARS-CoV-2' by the International Committee

Infection, trauma, and autoimmunity trigger tissue inflammation, often leading to pain and loss of function. Therefore, approaches to control inflammation based on nanotechnology principles are being developed in addition to available methods. The metal-based nanoparticles are particularly attractive due to the ease of synthesis, control over physicochemical properties, and facile surface modification with different types of molecules. Here, we report curcumin conjugated silver (Cur-Ag) nanoparticles synthesis, followed by their surface functionalization with isoniazid, tyrosine, and quercetin, leading to Cur-AgINH, Cur-AgTyr, and Cur-AgQrc nanoparticles, respectively. These nanoparticles possess radical scavenging capacity, haemocompatibility, and minimal cytotoxicity to macrophages. Furthermore, the nanoparticles inhibited the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-1β from macrophages stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The findings reveal that the careful design of surface corona of nanoparticles could be critical to increasing their efficacy in biomedical applications.