Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). To date, there is no effective therapeutic approach for treating SARS-CoV-2 infections. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been recognized to target the viral genome directly or indirectly, thereby inhibiting viral replication. Several studies have demonstrated that host miRNAs target different sites in SARS-CoV-2 RNA and constrain the production of essential viral proteins. Furthermore, miRNAs have lower toxicity, are more immunogenic, and are more diverse than protein-based and even plasmid-DNA-based therapeutic agents. In this review, we emphasize the role of miRNAs in viral infection and their potential use as therapeutic agents against COVID-19 disease. The potential of novel miRNA delivery strategies, especially EDV™ nanocells, for targeting lung tissue for treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection is also discussed.

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Cardiospermum L. is a genus belonging to Sapindaceae family. It comprises about 17 species of herbs, vines distributed in the tropical regions of the earth. 15 Cardiospermum halicacabum (C. halicacabum) is an herbaceous climber from Sapindaceae family. It is widely distributed in the tropics and subtropics of India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Malacca, Africa and America. It is one such plant which is traditionally used in Ayurvedic and folk medicines. 16 This plant is known to possess various biological and pharmacological properties. Various studies have shown the antimicrobial, antioxidant, analgesic, vasodepressant, anti-inflammatory properties of this plant. It is commonly used for treating arthritis, rheumatism, limbs stiffness, diabetes, lumbago, earache, fever. 17,18 It is the bioactive compounds present in the extracts of leaves, seeds, roots of this plant which contributes for the activities. 19,20 Various pharmacological properties of the phytoconstituents of this plant has been studied. Several chemical constituents such as i.e., apigenin, apigenin-7-Oglucuronide, chrysoeriol-7-O-glucuronide, luteolin-7-O-glucuronide rutin, and β-arachidic acid 21 have ABSTRACT Background: Cardiospermum halicacabum (C. halicacabum) is a common medicinal herb found in India and other Asian countries. It has various medicinal properties such as antimicrobial, pain relief, antibiotics, anti-inflammatory, antioxidants, anticancer etc. It is commonly used for treating diabetes, arthritis, limbs stiffness, rheumatism, lumbago, earache, fever. Type of solvent and polarity intensively affects the antioxidant activity of the extracts due to the solubility of the phytocompounds such as polyphenols and flavonoids in various solvents. Materials and Methods: In this study, different solvents like, ethanol, methanol, chloroform and petroleum ether were used for the extraction of C. halicacabum. Cold maceration method was followed for extraction. The crude extracts were screened preliminary and then confirmed using Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy analysis. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to determine the chemical composition of each extract. The DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) method was used for the evaluation of the antioxidant activity of different crude extracts of C. halicacabum. Results: The results showed that there is significant influence of solvent type in preserving various phytocompounds of the C. halicacabum leaves extract. The evaluation of the antioxidant capacity of different crude extracts was in the order of ethanol > methanol > petroleum ether > chloroform extract.

Plant sampleG. sylvestre leaves collected during the month of November 2016. The collected plant samples were identified and authenticated by Dr. G.V.S. Murthy, Botanical Survey of India (Ref No: BSI/ SRC/5/23/2016/Tech/215). The leaves were washed with running tap water, distilled water and shade dried at room temperature. The dried leaves were ground by using a laboratory blender. The pulverized samples were stored in cold storage for further usage.

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