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Interplay of calcium, vitamin D, and parathormone in the milieu of infections and immunity: Reassessed in the context of COVID-19.
Bandyopadhyay, U, Sen, D, Ahuja, D, Mahapatra, SP, Biswas, D, Maiti, R, Chakraborty, S, Hazra, A, Parua, S, Basak, AK, et al
The Journal of steroid biochemistry and molecular biology. 2025;:106624
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is recognized for inducing severe respiratory symptoms like cough, and shortness of breathing. Although symptom severity varies, some individuals remain asymptomatic. This virus has sparked a global pandemic, imposing a substantial rate of mortality or morbidity, with extended periods of illness reported. People with underlying medical issues and the elderly are more likely to experience adverse results. The virus's frequent mutations pose challenges for medical professionals, necessitating adaptable therapeutic and preventive strategies. Vitamin D, a versatile regulatory molecule, not only influences physiological processes such as serum calcium regulation but also exhibits immunomodulatory functions. Calcium ions play a crucial role as secondary signal transduction molecules, impacting diverse cellular functions and maintaining homeostasis through ion channel regulation. Parathormone, another key regulator of serum calcium, often acts antagonistically to vitamin D. This review delves into the interplay of vitamin D, calcium, and parathormone, exploring their possible influence on the progression of COVID-19. The intricate signaling involving these elements contributes to adverse prognosis, emphasizing the need for comprehensive understanding. Monitoring and controlling these physiological factors and associated pathways have shown the potential to alter disease outcomes, underscoring the importance of a holistic approach.
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E-cigarette, or Vaping, Product Use Associated Lung Injury: Epidemiology, Challenges, and Implications With COVID-19.
Soerianto, W, Jaspers, I
Pediatric pulmonology. 2025;(1):e27448
Abstract
BACKGROUND E-cigarette, or vaping products produce an aerosol by heating nicotine, or cannabis including tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), mixed with other chemicals that help make the aerosol. They are increasingly popular among teenagers and young adults, with a 2023 survey reporting that 2.13 million middle and high school students in the United States used e-cigarettes within the last 30 days. The use of e-cigarette, or vaping products could lead to an acute pulmonary inflammatory syndrome called e-cigarette, or vaping, product use-associated lung injury (EVALI). We review the challenges in diagnosing and treating EVALI, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS We conducted a literature search on June 10, 2024 using the PubMed database. We searched for articles, case reports and CDC reports investigating the pathogenesis, treatment, and challenges of diagnosing EVALI during the COVID-19 pandemic. RESULTS The exact causes of EVALI are not completely understood, although it has been linked to the use of THC and vitamin E acetate. There are no specific biomarkers to diagnose EVALI and it is typically diagnosed through a process of eliminating other possible conditions. Eight studies detailed cases where pediatric patients were initially diagnosed with COVID-19 or community-acquired pneumonia, despite multiple negative COVID-19 tests, and were later found to have EVALI. CONCLUSIONS After alerting the public about the removal of vitamin E acetate from vape liquids in 2020, there has been a decline in cases of EVALI, although they are still detected. Therefore, it is necessary to continue looking for diagnostic markers of EVALI and further investigate the toxicity of vapes and e-cigarettes to prevent the recurrence of another EVALI epidemic, especially among teenagers and young adults.
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Impact of COVID-19 on functional, cognitive, neuropsychiatric, and health-related outcomes in patients with dementia: A systematic review.
Crivelli, L, Winkler, A, Keller, G, Beretta, S, Calandri, IL, De Groote, W, Fornari, A, Frontera, J, Kivipelto, M, Lopez-Rocha, AS, et al
eNeurologicalSci. 2025;:100539
Abstract
BACKGROUND This systematic review analyzes the impact of COVID-19 on dementia patients' functional, cognitive, neuropsychiatric, and health related outcomes. It hypothesizes that dementia patients infected with SARS-CoV-2experience more pronounced deterioration compared to those who are uninfected. METHODS Research from 01/03/2020 to 07/10/2023 was conducted using Medline, Web of Science, and Embase databases, and adhering to PRISMA guidelines and the PICO framework. The study aimed to determine if SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with worse outcomes in dementia patients. The protocol is registered in PROSPERO (CRD42022352481), and bias was evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. RESULTS Among 198 studies reviewed, only three met the criteria. Chen et al. (2023) identified higher mortality in SARS-CoV-2-infected dementia patients, while Merla et al. (2023) observed faster cognitive decline in infected individuals with increased hospital admissions. Additionally, Cascini et al. (2022) reported an increased risk of infection and significantly elevated mortality in dementia patients, highlighting comorbidities and antipsychotic medication use as key risk factors. CONCLUSION These limited data suggest higher mortality and cognitive decline in dementia patients following COVID-19, underscoring the need for extensive research in this area.
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A Comprehensive Review of the Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, and Therapeutic Efficacies of Black Cumin (Nigella sativa L.) Seed Oil and Its Thymoquinone.
Chatterjee, G, Saha, AK, Khurshid, S, Saha, A
Journal of medicinal food. 2025
Abstract
Black cumin (Nigella sativa L.) (family Ranunculaceae) is a largely utilized therapeutic herb worldwide. This comprehensive review discusses the pharmacological benefits of black cumin seed oil, focusing on its bioactive component thymoquinone (TQ). The review is structured as follows: First, we examine the antimicrobial properties of black cumin oil, followed by an analysis of its antioxidant capabilities. Finally, we explore its therapeutic potential, particularly in neurodegenerative diseases and COVID-19. Phytochemicals from N. sativa have exhibited potential for developing novel preventive and therapeutic strategies against jaundice, gastrointestinal disorders, skin diseases, anorexia, conjunctivitis, dyspepsia, intrinsic hemorrhage, amenorrhea, paralysis, anorexia, rheumatism, diabetes, hypertension, fever, influenza, eczema, asthma, cough, bronchitis, and headache. The broader spectrum of application for N. sativa and its essential bioactives have certainly enhanced the commercial value of this seed oil. TQ, a major constituent of black cumin seed oil, has numerous beneficial properties. Researchers have extensively studied black cumin seed oil and its major component, TQ. These studies have revealed a wide range of pharmacological properties, including anticancer, immunomodulatory, analgesic, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, and anti-inflammatory effects. Additionally, TQ has shown neuroprotective, spasmolytic, bronchodilatory, hepatoprotective, renoprotective, gastroprotective, and antioxidant activities.
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Essential shifts in health workforce measurement: a human-centred approach.
Yerramilli, P, Andrews, K, Sharma, J, Chopra, M
The Lancet. Global health. 2025;(1):e167-e171
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Abstract
The health sector has faced long-standing challenges in drivers of worker behaviours and performance, such as job satisfaction, which have been worsened by COVID-19. Structural issues including high workloads and poor working conditions have long contributed to dissatisfaction among health workers. The pandemic escalated unsafe working conditions, causing workers' deaths, increasing burnout rates, and contributing to exodus from health-care jobs. To begin to address these challenges, systematising a human-centred approach to health workforce measurement, which emphasises the drivers of worker behaviour, is crucial. This approach requires a critical re-examination of historical metrics including those on absenteeism, caseload, and competence, which primarily characterise health workers as inputs into the health system. Transition should be made towards more human-centred measures of absence, workload, competency, and job satisfaction. The revision of the World Bank's Service Delivery Indicators health survey, a large-scale facility-based survey that provides within-country and cross-country information on health systems quality, showcases how revisiting widely used metrics through a human-centred lens is needed to yield more fit-for-purpose policy insights that identify health worker wellbeing as key to achieving global health goals.
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In Search for Inhibitors of Human Aldo-Keto Reductase 1B10 (AKR1B10) as Novel Agents to Fight Cancer and Chemoresistance: Current State-of-the-Art and Prospects.
Maccari, R, Ottanà, R
Journal of medicinal chemistry. 2025
Abstract
Aldo-keto reductase 1B10 (AKR1B10) is a human enzyme that catalyzes the NADPH-dependent reduction of several different carbonyl compounds to the corresponding alcohols. Under physiological conditions, AKR1B10 is expressed mainly in the gastrointestinal tract, where it can detoxify reactive carbonyl compounds derived from dietary sources and xenobiotics. AKR1B10 is highly expressed in several cancers and precancerous conditions, proving to be crucially implicated in carcinogenesis and to function as a prognostic indicator of tumor development. Moreover, AKR1B10 up-regulation is strictly related to acquired resistance to known anticancer drugs. High levels of this enzyme are also correlated to the pathogenesis of noncancerous diseases, such as skin pathologies and COVID-19 complications. Therefore, in the last two decades, AKR1B10 has attracted interest as a novel target for agents able to fight both cancer and chemoresistance, and here, it is explored from a medicinal chemistry perspective.
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Comparison of the role of vitamin D in normal organs and those affected by COVID-19.
Peramaiyan, R, Anthony, J, Varalakshmi, S, Sekar, AK, Ali, EM, A, AHS, Abdallah, BM
International journal of medical sciences. 2025;(2):240-251
Abstract
The outbreak of COVID-19 has opened up new avenues for exploring the importance of vitamin D in immunity, in addition to its role in calcium absorption. Recently, vitamin D supplementation has been found to enhance T regulatory lymphocytes, which are reduced in individuals with COVID-19. Increased risk of pneumonia and increases in inflammatory cytokines have been reported to be major threats associated with vitamin-D deficiency. Although vaccination reduces the threat of COVID-19 to a certain extent, herd immunity is the long-term solution to overcoming such diseases. Co-administration of vitamin D with certain inactivated vaccines has been reported to enhance the systemic immune response through stimulation of the production of antigen-specific mucosal immunity. COVID-19 was found to induce multiple organ damage, and vitamin D has a beneficial role in various organs, such as the intestines, pancreas, prostate, kidneys, liver, heart, brain, and immune cells. The consequences that occur after COVID-19 infection known as long COVID-19 are also a concern as they accumulate and target multiple organs, leading to immune dysregulation. The present review covers the overall role and impact of vitamin D and its deficiency for various organs in normal conditions and after COVID-19 infection, which is still a serious issue.
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Redox imbalance driven epigenetic reprogramming and cardiovascular dysfunctions: phytocompounds for prospective epidrugs.
Jyotirmaya, SS, Rath, S, Dandapat, J
Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology. 2025;:156380
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the major contributor to global mortality and are gaining incremental attention following the COVID-19 outbreak. Epigenetic events such as DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNAs have a significant impact on the incidence and onset of CVDs. Altered redox status is one of the major causative factors that regulate epigenetic pathways linked to CVDs. Various bioactive phytocompounds used in alternative therapies including Traditional Chinese Medicines (TCM) regulate redox balance and epigenetic phenomena linked to CVDs. Phytocompound-based medications are in the limelight for the development of cost-effective drugs with the least side effects, which will have immense therapeutic applications. PURPOSE This review comprehends certain risk factors associated with CVDs and triggered by oxidative stress-driven epigenetic remodelling. Further, it critically evaluates the pharmacological efficacy of phytocompounds as inhibitors of HAT/HDAC and DNMTs as well as miRNAs regulator that lowers the incidence of CVDs, aiming for new candidates as prospective epidrugs. METHODS PRISMA flow approach has been adopted for systematic literature review. Different Journals, computational databases, search engines such as Google Scholar, PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, and ResearchGate were used to collect online information for literature survey. Statistical information collected from the World Health Organization (WHO) site (https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cardiovascular-diseases-(cvds)) and the American Heart Association of Heart Disease and Stroke reported the international and national status of CVDs. RESULTS The meta-analysis of various studies is elucidated in the literature, shedding light on major risk factors such as socioeconomic parameters, which contribute highly to redox imbalance, epigenetic modulations, and CVDs. Going forward, redox imbalance driven epigenetic regulations include changes in DNA methylation status, histone modifications and non-coding RNAs expression pattern which further regulates global as well as promoter modification of various transcription factors leading to the onset of CVDs. Further, the role of various bioactive compounds used in herbal medicine, including TCM for redox regulation and epigenetic modifications are discussed. Pharmacological safety doses and different phases of clinical trials of these phytocompounds are elaborated on, which shed light on the acceptance of these phytocompounds as prospective drugs. CONCLUSION This review suggests a strong linkage between therapeutic and preventive measures against CVDs by targeting redox imbalance-driven epigenetic reprogramming using phytocompounds as prospective epidrugs. Future in-depth research is required to evaluate the possible molecular mechanisms behind the phytocompound-mediated epigenetic reprogramming and oxidative stress management during CVD progression.
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COVID-19 and Bone Loss: A Review of Risk Factors, Mechanisms, and Future Directions.
Creecy, A, Awosanya, OD, Harris, A, Qiao, X, Ozanne, M, Toepp, AJ, Kacena, MA, McCune, T
Current osteoporosis reports. 2024;(1):122-134
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW SARS-CoV-2 drove the catastrophic global phenomenon of the COVID-19 pandemic resulting in a multitude of systemic health issues, including bone loss. The purpose of this review is to summarize recent findings related to bone loss and potential mechanisms. RECENT FINDINGS The early clinical evidence indicates an increase in vertebral fractures, hypocalcemia, vitamin D deficiencies, and a loss in BMD among COVID-19 patients. Additionally, lower BMD is associated with more severe SARS-CoV-2 infection. Preclinical models have shown bone loss and increased osteoclastogenesis. The bone loss associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection could be the result of many factors that directly affect the bone such as higher inflammation, activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome, recruitment of Th17 cells, the hypoxic environment, and changes in RANKL/OPG signaling. Additionally, SARS-CoV-2 infection can exert indirect effects on the skeleton, as mechanical unloading may occur with severe disease (e.g., bed rest) or with BMI loss and muscle wasting that has also been shown to occur with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Muscle wasting can also cause systemic issues that may influence the bone. Medications used to treat SARS-CoV-2 infection also have a negative effect on the bone. Lastly, SARS-CoV-2 infection may also worsen conditions such as diabetes and negatively affect kidney function, all of which could contribute to bone loss and increased fracture risk. SARS-CoV-2 can negatively affect the bone through multiple direct and indirect mechanisms. Future work will be needed to determine what patient populations are at risk of COVID-19-related increases in fracture risk, the mechanisms behind bone loss, and therapeutic options. This review article is part of a series of multiple manuscripts designed to determine the utility of using artificial intelligence for writing scientific reviews.
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Guidance on sexual, reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health in humanitarian and fragile settings: a scoping review.
Shah, MG, Dey, T, Kostelecky, SM, El Bizri, M, Rodo, M, Singh, NS, Aboubaker, S, Evers, ES, Ashorn, P, Langlois, EV
BMJ global health. 2024;(3)
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Progress related to sexual, reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health (SRMNCAH) has stalled. COVID-19, conflict and climate change threaten to reverse decades of progress and to ensure the health and well-being of vulnerable populations in humanitarian and fragile settings (HFS) going forward, there is a need for tailored guidance for women, children and adolescents (WCA). This review seeks to map and appraise current resources on SRMNCAH in HFS. METHODS In line with the updated Joanna Briggs Institute guidance and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews framework, a manual literature review was conducted of global and regional guidance published between January 2008 and May 2023 from members of the Global Health Cluster, the Global Nutrition Cluster and the Inter-Agency Working Group on Reproductive Health in Crises. A content analysis was conducted. Scores were then calculated according to the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II scoring tool and subsequently categorised as high quality or low quality. RESULTS A total of 730 documents were identified. Of these, 141 met the selection criteria and were analysed. Available guidance for delivering SRMNCH services exists, which can inform policy and programming for the general population and WCA. Important gaps related to beneficiaries, health services and health system strengthening strategies were identified. CONCLUSION The review revealed there is evidence-based guidance available to support interventions targeting WCA in HFS, including: pregnant and lactating women, women of reproductive age, adolescents, newborns, small vulnerable newborns, stillbirths, refugees and internally displaced persons and WCA with disabilities. However, gaps related to beneficiaries, health services and health system strengthening strategies must be addressed in updated guidance that is created, disseminated and monitored in a standardised way that is mindful of the need to respond rapidly in HFS.
