The antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties of curcumin have made it a valuable herbal product for improving various disorders, such as COVID-19, cancer, depression, anxiety, osteoarthritis, migraine, and diabetes. Recent research has demonstrated that encapsulating curcumin in nanoparticles might improve its therapeutic effects and bioavailability. To our knowledge, the efficacy of nano-curcumin on different aspects of health and disease has not been summarized in a study. Therefore, this review aimed to evaluate nano-curcumin's efficacy in various diseases based on the findings of clinical trials. In order to review publications focusing on nanocurcumin's impact on various diseases, four databases were searched, including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. This review highlights the potential benefits of nano-curcumin in improving a wide range of human diseases

This systematic review aimed to evaluate the efficacy of phytochemicals on lipid parameters in patients with hypertriglyceridemia (HTG). A comprehensive search was performed in PubMed/Medline, Scopus, ISI Web of Science, and Google Scholar from inception up to October 2021 to recognize randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the effects of phytochemicals on lipid profiles in patients with HTG. Forty-eight RCTs including 53 arms and comprising 3,478 HTG patients met the eligibility criteria. Phytochemicals significantly reduced the serum levels of triglycerides in 32 out 53 arms, total cholesterol in 22 out of 51, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in 21 out of 48, very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in 1 out of 5, apolipoprotein B in 2 out of 4, and lipoprotein(a) levels in 2 out of 4 arms. Furthermore, phytochemicals supplementation increased the levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in 15 out of 48 arms. In brief, phytochemicals supplementation might have beneficial effects on HTG. In most of the studies, phytochemicals had a favorable effect on at least one of the lipid parameters.

The main aim of the current study was to summarize the findings of available clinical studies to assess nano‐curcumin's influence on COVID patients. A comprehensive online search was performed in Scopus, PubMed, ISI Web of Science, and Google Scholar until March 2022 to identify trials that investigated the effects of nano‐curcumin in patients with COVID‐19. Eight studies comprising 569 patients were included in this review. Compared with placebo, nano‐curcumin had no significant effect on C‐reactive protein (CRP) and high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein (hs‐CRP), tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), and interleukin‐6 (IL‐6). However, gene expression of IL‐6 and gene expression as well as secretion of interleukin‐1 beta (IL‐1β) significantly decreased following nano‐curcumin intervention. Nano‐curcumin had beneficial effects on fever, cough, chills, myalgia, and olfactory and taste disturbances. The duration of hospitalization and mortality rate were significantly lower in the nano‐curcumin group compared with the control group. Lymphocyte count was significantly increased after curcumin supplementation. Nano‐curcumin also had favorable effects on O2 saturation, sputum, chest pain, wheeze, and dyspnea in patients with COVID‐19. No major adverse effects were reported in response to nano‐curcumin supplementation. In summary, the results of this systematic review of clinical trials suggested that nano‐curcumin supplementation has beneficial effects on inflammation, respiratory function, disease manifestations, and complications in patients with COVID‐19 viral infection.

Background The growing trend of overweight and obesity in many developed and developing countries in recent years has made obesity one of the most significant health problems in the world. The treatment of overweight and obese people is challenging, as patients have difficulty adhering to a weight-loss diet. Thus, the present study aimed to identify the reasons for the dropout of weight-loss diets. Methods This qualitative study using content analysis was conducted in a comprehensive health center in Shiraz, southern Iran, between April and October 2020. The study was performed on 27 participants with a history of obesity and diet dropout selected via purposive and theoretical sampling. The data were gathered through semi-structured interviews and were thematically analyzed. Results The participants included 25 females (92.6%) and two males (7.4%) with a mean age of 33.4 ± 8.4 years. Data analysis resulted in the emergence of three themes and 14 sub-themes. The first theme was personal reasons for diet dropout, which included six sub-themes; i.e., misunderstanding of diet, not having enough motivation, stress and hormonal disorder, having the feel of “being harmful to health”, lack of mental and psychological preparation, and personal taste. The second theme was familial and social reasons for diet dropout, including two sub-themes, i.e., social and familial problems. Finally, the third theme was the reasons related to diet characteristics, including six sub-themes: ineffectiveness of diet, expensiveness of diet food and dietary supplements, family problems, unavailability of food, unscientific and unconventional diets feeling bad about the diet, and unpalatable diet food. All the concepts were related to each other and resulted in a pattern revealing the experiences of overweight people and who had dropped out of weight-loss diets. Conclusion The reasons for diet dropout were divided into three levels: personal reasons, familial and social reasons, and diet characteristics. Overall, clinicians should pay attention to the complexity of diets to increase the success rate of weight management. Based on the current study findings, a guideline is recommended to guide patients who dropout of weight-loss diets.