Prophylactic treatment of Glycyrrhiza glabra mitigates COVID-19 pathology through inhibition of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the hamster model and NETosis

• DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.945583
• Publication Date: 2022-09-27T04:44:55Z
• Authors: Zaigham Abbas Rizvi; Prabhakar Babele; Srikanth Sadhu; Upasna Madan; Manas Ranjan Trip...; Sandeep Goswami; Shailendra Mani; Sachin Kumar; Amit Awasthi; Madhu Dikshit
• Keywords: Proinflammatory cytokine; Mesocricetus

Severe coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is accompanied by acute respiratory distress syndrome and pulmonary pathology, presented mostly with an inflammatory cytokine release, a dysregulated immune response, skewed neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, hypercoagulable state. Though vaccinations have proved effective in reducing the COVID-19-related mortality, limitation of use vaccine against immunocompromised individuals, those comorbidity, emerging variants remains concern. In current study, we investigate for first time efficacy Glycyrrhiza glabra (GG) extract, potent immunomodulator, SARS-CoV-2 infection hamsters. Prophylactic treatment GG showed protection loss body weight 35%–40% decrease lung viral load along reduced pathology hamster model. Remarkably, mRNA expression pro-inflammatory cytokines plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1). vitro , acted as immunomodulator Th2 Th17 differentiation IL-4 IL-17A production. addition, also robust potential to suppress ROS, mtROS, NET generation concentration-dependent manner both human polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) murine bone marrow-derived (BMDNs). Taken together, provide evidence protective COVID-19 its putative mechanistic insight through immunomodulatory properties. Our study provides proof concept using model opens path further studies aimed at identifying active ingredients clinical cases.