Nutraceuticals and pharmacological to balance the transitional microbiome to extend immunity during COVID-19 and other viral infections

Abstract

Scope: The underlying medical conditions and gut dysbiosis is known to influence COVID-19 severity in high-risk patients. The current review proposed the optimal usage of nutraceuticals & pharmacological interventions can help regulate the protective immune response and balance the regulatory functionality of gut microbiota. Many studies have revealed that the probiotic interventions viz., Lactobacillus rhamnosus, L. plantarum & other bacterial spp. reduce IFNγ & TNF-α and increase IL-4 & IL-10 secretions to control the immunostimulatory effects in upper respiratory tract infection. Dietary fibres utilized by beneficial microbiota and microbial metabolites can control the NF-kB regulation. Vitamin C halts the propagation of pathogens and vitamin D and A modulate the GM. Selenium and Flavonoids also control the redox regulations. Interferon therapy can antagonize the viral replications, while corticosteroids may reduce the death rates. BCG vaccine reprograms the monocytes to build trained immunity. Bifidobacterium and related microbes were found to increase the vaccine efficacy. Vaccines against COVID-19 and season flu also boost the immunity profile for robust protection. Over all, the collective effects of these therapeutics could help increase the opportunities for faster recovery from infectious diseases.

Conclusion: The nutraceutical supplements and pharmacological medicines mediate the modulatory functionalities among beneficial microbes of gut, which in turn eliminate pathogens, harmonize the activity of immune cells to secrete essential regulatory molecular receptors and adaptor proteins establishing the homeostasis in the body organs through essential microbiome. Therefore, the implementation of this methodology could control the severity events during clinical sickness and reduce the mortalities.

Keywords: Antibiotics; COVID-19; Dietary fibres; Gut microbiota; Vaccines; Vitamins.

Fig. 1

Illustration of the molecular mechanisms developed during administration of pharmaceutical interventions and nutraceutical supplements [, , , , , , , , , –39, 66, 67, 69, 73, 74, 78, 83, 84, 95]. Bacteroides via glycolysis to produce SCFAs & other acetates are utilized by other commensals through TCA giving innate protection to myeloid cells. SCFAs regulate IL-10 and halt IL-17A, & via Th1 activating ROS to clear pathogens. Influenza vaccine regulates TLR5. Vit D via VDR activates the cathelicidin, α-defensin and AMP synthesis against pathogens. Microbiota secreted 3-IPA acts as an allosteric inhibitor to tryptophan of Mycobacterium tuberculosis & non-mycobacterial spp. ω-3 PUFAs indirectly activate Th2 cells to regulate IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, IL-13 via STAT-6 pathway, by repressing Th1. IFN+ Ribavirin regulates IFN & change IFN agonist e.g., ORF 3b and ORF 6. MAMPs and PRRs regulate the CD4+ cells. Deactivation of IFNA2 is correlated with seroconversion. BCG vaccine reprograms the monocytes through histone alterations inhibiting HADCs activity to control the metabolic and epigenetic disorders building trained immunity. Bacteroides utilized mucin for longer survival and regulate pro-IL-18 & ILC3. Enterococcus faecium to stimulate IL-6 & IL-8 to fight against TGEV

Fig. 2

Properties of Nutraceuticals and Pharmacological interventions to regulate the protective immune activities in alveolar and gut cell linings. A probable modulatory effect of probiotics with supplements to build ILC 3 homeostasis in gut and the functional integrity of the other body organs [, , –32, 36]