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Phytomelatonin is a pleiotropic molecule that originated in higher plants with many diverse actions and is primarily an antioxidant. The recent identification and advancement of phytomelatonin unraveled the potential of this modulatory molecule being considered a new plant hormone, suggesting its relevance in treating respiratory infections, including COVID-19. Besides, this molecule is also involved in multiple hormonal, physiological, and biological processes at different levels of cell organization and has been marked for its ability to cross the blood-brain barrier and prominent antioxidant effects, reducing mitochondrial electron leakage, up-regulating antioxidant enzymes, acting as a free radical scavenger, and interfering with pro-inflammatory signaling pathways as seen in mood swings, body temperature, sleep, cancer, cardiac rhythms, and immunological regulation modulators. However, due to its diversity, availability, affordability, convenience, and high safety profile, phytomelatonin has also been suggested as a natural adjuvant. This review discussed the origin, content in various plant species, processes of extraction, and detection and therapeutic potentials of phytomelatonin in treating COVID-19-exposed individuals.

The potential enhancement of metformin hydrochloride (MH) loaded in lipid vesicles targeting therapeutic efficacy on alloxan-induced diabetic rats was investigated. This involved lipid vesicles formulated with homogenously distributed nano-sized particles by a novel integrated process of multiple emulsification by membrane and solvent evaporation. The average diameter of the water-in-oil (W1/O), W1/O/W2 emulsion droplets, and lipid vesicles was 192 nm, 52 µm, and 173 nm, respectively. The entrapment yield of metformin hydrochloride (MH) in the prepared lipid vesicles was 40.12%. The metformin hydrochloride-loaded lipid vesicles (MH-LLVs) sustained the release of the entrapped drug over a 12-h period and reduced the plasma glucose level of diabetic rats by 77.4% compared with free MH solution (2-h period and 58.2%, respectively) after one week post-diabetic treatment through oral administration of MH-LLV and the free drug. The remarkable improvement in the biochemical parameters recorded in the MH-LLV-treated animals compared with those that received free MH solutions depicted an enhanced kidney function, liver function, as well as oxidative stress status. Pancreatic histology depicted a pancreas with intralobular ducts (ID) and exocrine secretory acini that characterize an intact pancreas, which suggests the ability of the MH-LLVs to restore pancreatic cells to normal, on a continued treatment. Overall, MH-LLV appears an encouraging extended-release formulation with enhanced bioavailability, sustained release, and improved antihyperglycemic potentials.

Costus afer leaf extract is one of the native heritages of folklore medicine in Nigeria, used for the treatment of various disease conditions. Therefore this study was undertaken to evaluate the cardioprotective potential of the methanol extract of Costus afer leaves on CCl4- induced cardiotoxicity in albino rats. Twenty-eight (28) albino rats were divided into four main groups: normal control (normal saline only), CCl4 control (saline and CCl4), aspirin treated (1.2 mg/kg b.w aspirin and CCl4) and Costus afer extract treated (extract and CCl4) groups. Costus afer extract was administered in four doses; 100, 200, 300, and 400 mg/kg b.w. p.o for 7 days. On day 7, CCl4 (2.5 ml) cardiotoxicity was induced in animals of CCl4 control, aspirin treated and extract pre-treatment groups. The parameters studied in this respect were cardiac biomarker enzymes; Creatine Kinase (CK), Aspartate Transaminases (AST) and Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH), serum lipid profile; Triacylglycerol (TAG), Total Cholesterol (TC), Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL), High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) and artherogenic index (AR), lipid peroxidation; malondialdehyde (MDA) level and enzymatic antioxidant levels of cardiac tissue homogenate; Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), Catalase (CAT) and Glutathione Reductase (GR). CCl4 intoxication produced significant (p < 0.05) increases in cardiac biomarker enzymes, serum lipid profile (TAG, TC, and LDL) along with enhanced lipid peroxidation in heart, while significant (p < 0.05) decreases in enzymatic antioxidant activities and HDL contents were also observed when compared to normal control. Costus afer leaf extract protected against CCl< cardiotoxic effect by restoring the cardiac functions alterations, augmenting antioxidant activities, reducing lipid peroxidation and improving lipid profile levels near normal. From the results, Costus afer leaves expressed cardioprotective potential and could be helpful in the management of cardiac dysfunction.