A study on the effect of natural products against the transmission of B.1.1.529 Omicron

Abstract

Background The recent outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic resulted in a successful vaccination program launched by the World Health Organization. However, a large population is still unvaccinated, leading to the emergence of mutated strains like alpha, beta, delta, and B.1.1.529 (Omicron). Recent reports from the World Health Organization raised concerns about the Omicron variant, which emerged in South Africa during a surge in COVID-19 cases in November 2021. Vaccines are not proven completely effective or safe against Omicron, leading to clinical trials for combating infection by the mutated virus. The absence of suitable pharmaceuticals has led scientists and clinicians to search for alternative and supplementary therapies, including dietary patterns, to reduce the effect of mutated strains. Main body This review analyzed Coronavirus aetiology, epidemiology, and natural products for combating Omicron. Although the literature search did not include keywords related to in silico or computational research, in silico investigations were emphasized in this study. Molecular docking was implemented to compare the interaction between natural products and Chloroquine with the ACE2 receptor protein amino acid residues of Omicron. The global Omicron infection proceeding SARS-CoV-2 vaccination was also elucidated. The docking results suggest that DGCG may bind to the ACE2 receptor three times more effectively than standard chloroquine. Conclusion The emergence of the Omicron variant has highlighted the need for alternative therapies to reduce the impact of mutated strains. The current review suggests that natural products such as DGCG may be effective in binding to the ACE2 receptor and combating the Omicron variant, however, further research is required to validate the results of this study and explore the potential of natural products to mitigate COVID-19. Graphical abstract

Molecular docking as a tool for the discovery of novel insight about the role of acid sphingomyelinase inhibitors in SARS- CoV-2 infectivity

“…Recently, the world and public health organizations directed resources to curb the outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2 and its mutated strains [ 1 – 6 ]. Symptoms of COVID-19 infection included respiratory system complications and severe pneumonia, where patients needed intensive medical care and ventilator treatment [ 5 , 7 , 8 ]. The death rate from COVID-19 is about 0.66%, which rises sharply to 7.8% in patients over 80 years old [ 9 ].…”

“…Severe cases are characterized by a high incidence of cytokine storms and excessive inflammation with high levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-2R, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha. The SARS-CoV-2 infects cells by attachment to its particular cellular receptor ACE-2 via a surface unit (S1) of the viral spike glycoprotein [ 8 , 10 ]. Transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2) or cathepsin L cleaves the viral spike protein after entry.…”

Experimental and density functional theory studies on some metal oxides and the derived nanoclusters: a comparative effects on human ferritin

“…Molecular docking, a well-known in silico structure-based technique, plays a crucial role in drug development. It enables the identification of compounds with therapeutic potential without prior knowledge of the target modulators' chemical composition [ 32 ]. Molecular docking facilitates the prediction of interactions between ligands and targets at the molecular level, allowing for the characterization of structure–activity correlations (SAC) [ 33 ].…”

The Potential Role of Nitric Oxide as a Therapeutic Agent against SARS-CoV-2 Infection

“…Therefore, confirmatory polymerase chain reaction tests to identify the SARS-CoV-2 infection and basic preventive measures, such as social distancing and wearing a mask, remain important precautions against COVID-19 [3]. The emergence of the Omicron variants has highlighted the need for more alternative therapies with various modes to reduce the impact of mutated strains such as inhibiting SARS-CoV-2 entry/fusion, RNA replication and protease inhibitors, vaccines and drug-free therapies like plasma therapy, etc., and proposed lifestyle factors (such as nitrate-rich and other natural product diets and exercise) as preventive strategies [4,5].…”