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Combining nano-curcumin with catechin improves COVID-19-infected patient's inflammatory conditions
1Hawler Medical University (HMU), College of Pharmacy, Clinical Pharmacy Department, Erbil, Iraq.
Insights
Combination therapy with nano-curcumin and catechin effectively modulates immune cells in COVID-19 patients. This treatment enhances TCD4+, TCD8+, and regulatory T (Treg) cells while reducing T helper 17 (Th17) cells and associated inflammatory markers.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Pharmacology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- COVID-19 is a hyperinflammatory condition.
- Characterized by elevated T helper 17 (Th17) cells, pro-inflammatory cytokines, and depleted regulatory T (Treg) cells.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of nano-curcumin and catechin on immune cells in COVID-19 patients.
- To evaluate the impact on TCD4+, TCD8+, Th17, and Treg cells and their related factors.
Main Methods:
- 160 COVID-19 patients were divided into four groups: placebo, nano-curcumin, catechin, and combination therapy.
- Evaluated immune cell frequencies (TCD4+, TCD8+, Th17, Treg), transcription factors (STAT3, RORt, FoxP3), and cytokine levels (IL-6, IL17, IL1-b, IL-10, TGF-) before and after treatment.
Main Results:
- Combined nano-curcumin and catechin significantly increased TCD4+ and TCD8+ cells compared to placebo.
- This combination therapy decreased Th17 cells, associated cytokines, and transcription factors.
- Treg cells and their transcription factors were significantly increased by the combined treatment.
Conclusions:
- Combining nano-curcumin with catechin shows a significant impact on immune cell modulation in COVID-19.
- This combination enhances beneficial immune cells (TCD4+, TCD8+, Treg) and reduces inflammatory markers (Th17).
- Suggests a promising therapeutic strategy for managing COVID-19-induced inflammation.
Aims:
A hyperinflammatory condition is brought on by the development of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which is characterized by an elevation of T helper (Th) 17 cells, high levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and a depletion of regulatory T (Treg) cells.
Methods:
In this research, we examined the effect of nano-curcumin and catechin on the TCD4+, TCD8+, Th17, and Treg cells and their associated factors in COVID-19 patients. For this purpose, 160 (50 patients excluded during the study) COVID-19 patients were divided into four groups: placebo, nano-curcumin, catechin, and nano-curcumin + catechin. The frequency of TCD4+, TCD8+, Th17, and Treg cells, the gene expression of transcription factors (STAT3, RORt, and FoxP3) relevant to Th17 and Treg, as well as the serum levels of cytokines (IL-6, IL17, IL1-b, IL-10, and TGF-), were all evaluated intra- and inter-group, before and after treatment, in all groups.
Results:
Our study showed that TCD4 + and TCD8 + cells were significantly higher in the nano-curcumin + catechin group compared to the control group, whereas Th17 was lower than the initial value. Furthermore, compared to the placebo-received group, cytokines and transcription factors associated with Th17 were significantly lower in the nano-curcumin + catechin group. Additionally, combined therapy increased Treg cells and transcription factors compared to the placebo group.
Conclusion:
Overall, our results show that combining nano-curcumin with catechin has a more notable impact on the enhancement of TCD4+, TCD8+, and Treg cells, as well as a decrease in Th17 cells and their mediators, suggesting a promising combination therapy in reducing the inflammatory conditions of COVID-19 infected patients.
