These data indicate that curcumin has nephroprotective properties against cisplatin-induced kidney damage in rats and this effect is associated with its anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptosis profiles, in addition to its antioxidant. Hence, curcumin may be useful for preventing kidney damage against cisplatin administration.

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Background: The COVID-19 disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus has diverse symptoms, ranging from asymptomatic, mild symptoms such as flu-like illness and pneumonia to acute respiratory distress syndrome, which ends in death. Until now, the mechanism of the COVID-19 disease that causes widespread symptoms and the severity and factors that influence it are still unclear. During viral internalization, it needs to be cleaved by the serine protease encoded by the TMPRSS2 gene. It is hypothesized that higher expression of the TMPRSS2 gene causes higher virus internalization into cells, leading to more severe symptoms in patients. Methods: The Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Genotype Test was carried out to prove whether the TMPRSS2 gene affects the severity of COVID-19, as evidenced in other viral respiratory diseases. With a better understanding of gene expression related to this disease, it is hoped that we can better understand the mechanism of COVID-19 and establish better therapies and prevention against it. In this study, 68 COVID-19 patients participated and were categorized into two groups based on their clinical symptoms, namely mild symptoms without symptoms (n=12) and Moderate-Severe symptoms (n=56). PBMC cells were isolated from the patient. Then the DNA was extracted and used as a template in the SNP Genotyping of the TMPRSS2 rs2070788 gene variant. Results: The results showed that 35 samples had A/A homozygous genotypes, 29 A/G heterozygous samples, and 4 G/G homozygous samples. n=29) and heterozygous A/G (n=23), whereas only 4 were homozygous G/G. In addition, the homozygous G/G genotype was only detected in the moderate-severe group. Conclusions: A more significant number of samples from the asymptomatic mild symptom group is needed to statistically prove that homozygous G/G variants or G alleles are generally associated with the severity of COVID-19 patients.

COVID-19 is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 infection that attacked the human respiratory system. In severe conditions, it causes pneumonia, kidney failure, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and even death. The SARS-CoV-2 infection triggers the immune cells to secrete an excess of proinflammatory cytokines lead to cytokine storm. It is believed to become one of the mechanisms that cause the ARDS condition. The level of pro-inflammatory cytokines will differ with each case severity. This study aimed to evaluate the profile of pro-inflammatory cytokines in COVID-19 patients with different severity. Therefore, it could be used as therapeutic approach for cytokine storm conditions. It was a cross sectional study using plasma samples of COVID-19 patients from Jakarta Islamic Hospital, Pondok Kopi and Dr. M. Goenawan Partowidigdo Hospital, Cisarua, Indonesia. The COVID-19 patients with severe (n=20) and mild to moderate (n=25) severity were involved in this study. As negative control plasma sample from healthy subjects (n=13) was used. Plasma IL-6 levels were measured using the ELISA technique and plasma lymphocyte levels were measured using a hematology analyzer. The results showed that no significant difference between severity and gender was observed (p=0.256). Meanwhile, there is a significant difference in IL-6 level between negative control, mild-moderate, and severe categories (p=0.015). The average IL-6 level in severe categories was higher than mild-moderate and negative control categories, with values 105.375, 59.75, and 64.577 pg/mL, respectively. This result becomes supporting evidence that there is a cytokine storm condition in severe COVID-19 patients. Furthermore, the lymphocyte level in the severe group is significantly lower than the mild to moderate group. This result may indicate lymphocytopenia in the severe group.