Flavonoids are polyphenolic substances derived from plants that play several pharmacological activities. They possess anti-viral, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic potential that can be expressed on different cell types, both in animal and human models. Many of these properties prove inhibitory to a huge panoply of molecular targets in the micromolar concentration range, either by down-regulating or suppressing many inflammatory pathways and functions. Flavonoids exert their properties both as purified aglycone molecules and as plant extracts. Depending on little changes in the flavone-backbone and on subtle mechanisms of cell behavior and responsiveness, flavonoids can play a modulating, biphasic and regulatory action on immunity and inflammation; in this context only few flavones and flavonols have been assayed, mainly because of their chemical similarity with quercetin, so evidence reported in the literature about the action of flavonoids is limited to a restricted group of molecules. Many of the effects reported about flavonoids regard quercetin, as probably the most diffused and known nature-derived flavonol. Quercetin has shown a biphasic behavior in basophils at nanomolar doses and hence its action on cells involved in allergic inflammation is here described. Like many other molecules sharing a flavone ring, quercetin affects immunity and inflammation by acting mainly on leukocytes and targeting many intracellular signaling kinases and phosphatases, enzymes and membrane proteins often crucial for a cellular specific function. This overview collects and discusses the role of flavonoids as anti-infectious and anti-inflammatory compounds, trying to focus on the complex and modulating interaction of these polyphenolic substances with cell function. However, the wide group of intracellular targets and the elevated number of natural compounds potentially effective as anti-inflammatory therapeutical agents, asks for further insights and evidence to comprehend the role of these substances in animal cell biology.

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Background: Basophils are circulating cells involved in hypersensitivity reactions and allergy but many aspects of their activation, including the sensitivity to external triggering factors and the molecular aspects of cell responses, are still to be focused. In this context, polychromatic flow cytometry (PFC) is a proper tool to investigate basophil function, as it allows to distinguish the expression of several membrane markers upon activation in multiple experimental conditions.

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Tryptophan (Trp) is an amino acid and an essential component of the human diet. It plays a crucial role in many metabolic functions. Clinicians can use Trp levels in the course of diagnosing various metabolic disorders and the symptoms associated with those diseases. Furthermore, supplementation with this amino acid is considered in the treatment of depression and sleep disorders, mainly due to the Trp relationship with the synthesis of serotonin (5-HT) and melatonin. It is also used in helping to resolve cognitive disorders, anxiety, or neurodegenerative diseases. Reduced secretion of serotonin is associated with autism spectrum disorder, obesity, anorexia and bulimia nervosa, and other diseases presenting peripherals symptoms. The literature strongly suggests that Trp has a significant role in the correct functionality of the brain-gut axis and immunology. This information leads to the consideration of Trp as an essential dietary component due to its role in the serotonin pathway. A reduced availability of Trp in diet and nutraceutical supplementation should be considered with greater concern than one might expect. This paper constitutes a review of the more salient aspects gleaned from the current knowledge base about the role of Trp in diseases, associated nutritional disorders, and food science, in general.

Objective This study evaluated the potential efficacy of a novel approach to treat COVID-19 patients, using an oxygen-ozone (O 2 -O 3 ) mixture, via a process called Oxygen-Ozone- Immunoceutical Therapy. The methodology met the criteria of a novel, promising approach to treat successfully elderly COVID-19 patients, particularly when hospitalized in intensive care units (ICUs) Experimental design : We investigated the therapeutic effect of 4 cycles of O 2 -O 3 in 50 hospitalized COVID-19 subjects suffering from acute respiratory disease syndrome (ARDS), aged more than 60 years, all males and undergoing non invasive mechanical ventilation in ICUs. Results Following O 2 -O 3 treatment a significant improvement in inflammation and oxygenation indexes occurred rapidly and within the first 9 days after the treatment, despite the expected 14–20 days. A significant reduction of inflammatory and thromboembolic markers (CRP, IL-6, D-dimer) was observed. Furthermore, amelioration in the major respiratory indexes, such as respiratory and gas exchange markers (SatO 2 %, PaO 2 /FiO 2 ratio), was reported. Conclusion Our results show that O 2 -O 3 treatment would be a promising therapy for COVID-19 patients. It leads patients to a fast recovery from ARDS via the improvement of major respiratory indexes and blood gas parameters, following a relatively short time of dispensed forced ventilation (about one to two weeks). This study may encourage the scientific community to further investigate and evaluate the proposed method for the treatment of COVID-19 patients.

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