Bovine Serum Albumin-Coated Niclosamide-Zein Nanoparticles as Potential Injectable Medicine against COVID-19

Abstract

(1) Background: COVID-19 has affected millions of people worldwide, but countries with high experimental anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccination rates among the general population respectively show progress in achieving general herd immunity in the population (a combination of natural and vaccine-induced acquired immunity), resulting in a significant reduction in both newly detected infections and mortality rates. However, the longevity of the vaccines’ ability to provide protection against the ongoing pandemic is still unclear. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to have new medications to fight against the pandemic at the earliest point possible. Recently, it has been found that repurposing already existing drugs could, in fact, be an ideal strategy to formulate effective medication for COVID-19. Though there are many FDA-approved drugs, it has been found that niclosamide (NIC), an anthelmintic drug, has significantly high potential against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. (2) Methods: Here we deployed a simple self-assembling technique through which Zein nanoparticles were successfully used to encapsulate NIC, which was then coated with bovine serum albumin (BSA) in order to improve the drugs’ stability, injectablity, and selectivity towards the virus-infected cells. (3) Results: The particle size for the BSA-stabilized Zein-NIC nanohybrid was found to be less than 200 nm, with excellent colloidal stability and sustained drug release properties. In addition, the nanohybrid showed enhanced drug release behavior under serum conditions, indicating that such a hybrid drug delivery system could be highly beneficial for treating COVID-19 patients suffering from high endothelial glycocalyx damage followed by a cytokine storm related to the severe inflammations.

Niclosamide-Exfoliated Anionic Clay Nanohybrid Repurposed as an Antiviral Drug for Tackling Covid-19; Oral Formulation with Tween 60/Eudragit S100

“…To measure the NIC content in the final formulations, samples of X-LDH-NIC, ES100-NIC-X-LDH NPs, and the Tween 60-coated solution were mixed thoroughly with 99.9% ethanol and sonicated for 0.6 h in order to remove completely the NIC molecules from the respective samples, then the solutions were syringe-filtered using a 450 nm porous PVDF membrane (Rejinold et al, 2021). This ultra-sonication and ethanol dissolution process effectively removes all NIC molecules from the precipitate.…”

Advances in Nanomaterial-Based Platforms to Combat COVID-19: Diagnostics, Preventions, Therapeutics, and Vaccine Developments

“… 113 , 114 Anti SARS-Cov-2, parenteral formulation of NIC for fast delivery to blood, has been proposed by Sanoj et al ( Figure 10 ). 115 The formulations are developed by conjugations of Zein (a group of alcohol-soluble maize proteins) and bovine serum albumin (BSA). Zein shell undergoes swelling and BSA molecules became negatively charged in an aqueous solution, nanohybrid matrix of Zein-BSA can make NIC much more suitable for intracellular drug delivery in parenteral form for a longer time at a sustained control rate.…”

“…BSA-Zein-NIC NPs showed a comparatively high NIC release in serum media than NIC alone or Zein-NIC conjugates. 115 However, this study requires many more to go (i.e., in vivo and clinical trials), as these nanoformulations can be hoped as a future antiviral drug in the upcoming days. 115 …”

“… 115 However, this study requires many more to go (i.e., in vivo and clinical trials), as these nanoformulations can be hoped as a future antiviral drug in the upcoming days. 115 …”

Potential Application of Bionanoparticles to Treat Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 Infection

“…In this ongoing pandemic, repurposing existing drugs is ideal for developing effective medication to fight COVID-19. A self-assembling technique was developed to synthesize niclosamide (NIC) loaded zinc nanoparticles that were further coated with bovine serum albumin (BSA) (Rejinold et al, 2021). The introduction of BSA improved drug stability, selectivity towards virus-infected cells, and injectability.…”