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ABSTRACT. The recent research focused on the green synthesis of silicon dioxide nanoparticles, SiO2@Cellulose of Zizyphus Spina-Christi nanocomposites, and L-Arginine@SiO2@Cellulose of Zizyphus Spina-Christi nanocomposites using cellulose of Zizyphus Spina-Christi as a new green polymeric surfactant. The structures of nanoparticles and nanocomposites were characterized by different spectroscopy and microscopy techniques. Nanoparticles and nanocomposites were utilized to determine the concentration of chromium, cadmium, and lead in COVID-19 patients using double-vortex-ultrasonic assisted surfactant enhanced dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction. Mean recoveries of chromium, cadmium, and lead were obtained in the range of 86-98% with relative standard deviations below 4%. The advantages of the proposed method are green and novel polymer surfactant with low detection limit. Finally, antibacterial activities were investigated. The maximum inhibition zone of L-Arginine@SiO2@Cellulose of Zizyphus Spina-Christi nanocomposites was obtained for Staphylococcus Aureus (21.9±0.4 mm). L-Arginine@SiO2@Cellulose of Zizyphus Spina-Christi nanocomposites have low cytotoxicity against MCF-7 cancer cells. These results indicated the potential ability of L-Arginine@SiO2@Cellulose of Zizyphus Spina-Christi nanocomposites in the determination of metal concentrations in biological samples along with good antibacterial properties and cytotoxic properties.   KEY WORDS: Green synthesis, Cellulose of Zizyphus Spina-Christi, Silicon dioxide nanoparticles, COVID-19, Biological activity   Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2023, 37(2), 265-276.                                                               DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v37i2.2

Introduction: In COVID-19 patients, those with underlying disease are relatively more susceptible to respiratory viral infections and are more likely to develop severe symptoms compared to people without underlying disease. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the serum levels of interleukin (IL)-8 and IL-17 in patients infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) and patients with underlying disease. Patients and Methods: Serum samples were collected before administration of any antiviral and/or immunosuppressive drug. Around 64 adult patients with COVID-19 and 12 adult patients with underlying disease were compared with 16 healthy subjects as controls. The cytokine levels were assessed by ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) method and the statistical analysis was carried out using the one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results: The average levels of these cytokines in the severe group were significantly higher than those in the mild and control group (r=0.48, P<0.016); it is worth noting that patients with underlying disease also displayed a higher level of these cytokines than those with mild and control groups ( r = 0.283, P<0.049). No significant differences were observed between severe and other patients with underlying disease and also between mild and control groups. Conclusion: Our data indicate that IL-17 and IL-8 are involved in inducing and mediating proinflammatory responses and that the elevated level of these inflammatory cytokines could be the effective ground in the severity of COVID-19 and being susceptible in people with underlying disease. Thus, providing a platform of inflammatory signature cytokines in COVID-19 patients with underlying co-morbidities or without as well as in non-COVID-19 patients with underlying diseases might provide a promising solution to COVID-19 disease.