Curcumin therapy: Immune booster in present and post-pandemic (COVID-19) Era

Abstract

COVID-19 pandemic, which has traumatized the world population, in principle, is an inflammatory lung disease secondary to SARS-COV2 virus infection. Inflammatory lung injury progressing to Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) is a recognized clinical feature of the disease. Inflammatory cytokines released in response to COVID-19 activate the transcription factor - the nuclear factor-қB (NF-қB) and series of pro-inflammatory cytokines, which are responsible for lung injury. Accurate yet precise treatment of coronavirus disease still remains inconclusive, and intervention is mainly symptomatic treatment, respiratory support, antiviral therapies and vaccination. Currently, the major focus of therapy is on reducing lung inflammation by elevating the host immunity. In this scenario, NF-қB inhibition can be conceptualized as a promising approach to down-regulate the overproduction of cytokines, such that inflammatory lung tissue injury could be prevented in COVID-19 infected patients. Towards this, curcumin from Curcuma longa (Turmeric) would play a vital role in the intervention and suppress NF-қB activation via translocation of p65 into the nucleus. Moreover, Curcumin is a proven therapeutic agent against various inflammatory pathologies as it also has the potential to inhibit the expression of certain genes that are critical for the regulation of inflammation. Keeping this phenomenon and the current medical significance in view, we have explored and computed the anti-inflammatory properties of curcumin to develop it as a potent therapeutic agent to prevent NF-қB induced lung tissue injury in COVID-19 with the main goal of elevating immunity in the post-covid-19 situations as well as in healthy human beings.