Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative pathogen of pandemic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). So far, no approved therapy has been developed to halt the spread of the pathogen, and unfortunately, the strategies for developing a new therapy will require a long time and very extensive resources. Therefore, drug repurposing has emerged as an ideal strategy toward a smart, versatile, quick way to confine the lethal disease. In this endeavor, natural products have been an untapped source for new drugs. This review represents the confederated experience of multidisciplinary researchers of 99 articles using several databases: Google Scholar, Science Direct, MEDLINE, Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed. To establish the hypothesis, a Bayesian perspective of a systematic review was used to outline evidence synthesis. Our docking documentation of 69 compounds and future research agenda assumptions were directed toward finding an effective and economic anti-COVID-19 treatment from natural products. Glucosinolate, flavones, and sulfated nitrogenous compounds demonstrate direct anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity through inhibition protease enzymes and may be considered potential candidates against coronavirus. These findings could be a starting point to initiate an integrative study that may encompass interested scientists and research institutes to test the hypothesis in vitro, in vivo, and in clinics after satisfying all ethical requirements.

Antimicrobial resistance is a dramatic global threat; however, the slow progress of new antibiotic development has impeded the identification of viable alternative strategies. Natural antioxidant-based antibacterial approaches may provide potent therapeutic abilities to effectively block resistance microbes’ pathways. While essential oils (EOs) have been reported as antimicrobial agents, its application is still limited ascribed to its low solubility and stability characters; additionally, the related biomolecular mechanisms are not fully understood. Hence, the study aimed to develop a nano-gel natural preparation with multiple molecular mechanisms that could combat bacterial resistance in an acne vulgaris model. A nano-emulgel of thyme/clove EOs (NEG8) was designed, standardized, and its antimicrobial activity was screened in vitro and in vivo against genetically identified skin bacterial clinical isolates (Pseudomonas stutzeri, Enterococcus faecium and Bacillus thuringiensis). As per our findings, NEG8 exhibited bacteriostatic and potent biofilm inhibition activities. An in vivo model was also established using the commercially available therapeutic, adapalene in contra genetically identified microorganism. Improvement in rat behavior was reported for the first time and NEG8 abated the dermal contents/protein expression of IGF-1, TGF-β/collagen, Wnt/β-catenin, JAK2/STAT-3, NE, 5-HT, and the inflammatory markers; p(Ser536) NF-κBp65, TLR-2, and IL-6. Moreover, the level of dopamine, protective anti-inflammatory cytokine, IL-10 and PPAR-γ protein were enhanced, also the skin histological structures were improved. Thus, NEG8 could be a future potential topical clinical alternate to synthetic agents, with dual merit mechanism as bacteriostatic antibiotic action and non-antibiotic microbial pathway inhibitor.

IntroductionBackground: Hepatitis C is considered as one of the most popular diseases in Egypt. Our aim is to clarify the association between Cluster of Differentiation 24 (CD24) polymorphism, Talin-1 gene expression and the prevalence of hepatocellular carcinoma in Egyptian Hepatitis C virus patients.Material and methodsThe link between CD24 polymorphism rs8734 and the prevalence of hepatocellular carcinoma was assessed between 200 control subjects and 400 hepatitis C virus patients (HCV), patients were classified as follows; 200 patients with HCV and 200 with HCV and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by histopathological assessment and PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP).ResultsResults: The hepatitis c patients with HCC showed significant increase in alpha fetoprotein (AFP) and Talin-1 gene expression compared to patients with HCV as well as in healthy volunteers. Furthermore, the frequencies of CD 24 170 CT/TT genotype were significantly higher in HCV patients without complications (60%) when compared to CC genotype (40%) (OR= 6 at X2= 14.41, P = 0.0007), and in HCV with HCC patients (90%) when compared to CC genotype (10%) (OR= 36 at X2= 14.41, P = 0.0007).ConclusionsThese data suggests that CD24 genetic polymorphism rs8734 and Talin-1 gene expression may be a significant determinant for the prevalence of hepatocellular carcinoma in HCV patients.

Antibiotic resistance has become one of the most common problems that threaten the world and increases the mortality rate. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is reported to be one of commonest multi-drug resistant (MDR), which is responsible for 10 to 15% of nosocomial infection worldwide and high death rates ranging from 18 to 61%. We investigate the anti-biofilm activity of different disinfectants on MDR Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Two hundred two water environmental isolates were collected from different hospitals in Cairo, Egypt. Microbact™ Gram-negative system used for identification. That is showed 41.3% of isolates were Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Antibiotic susceptibility test revealed that 34.7% of the isolates were MDR. Biofilm production was determined by Congo red assay (CRA) and Microtitre plate (MTP) method. CRA showed 89% as biofilm producers. MTP method showed 87% were biofilm-forming. MIC of Carbapenems was determined by the broth macrodilution method. It showed that 50% of isolates were resistant. (MIC) Minimum Inhibitory Concentration of 7 disinfectants against 10-selected MDR strong biofilm Pseudomonas isolates was determined using the broth microdilution method. It showed that the most effective disinfectants with the lowest MICs were the Sodium hypochlorite 5% and Povidone-Iodine 10%. The Real-time PCR was done on lasR and ndvb genes for the selected isolate (E20) before and after exposure to both effective disinfectants. The sample E20 showed a significant down regulation for lasR and ndvb genes with both effective disinfectants. Our study showed that Povidone-iodine 10 % at appropriate concentrations at less than 30 minutes has significant anti-biofilm activity against MDR Pseudomonas aeruginosa.