Nano Antiviral Photodynamic Therapy: a Probable Biophysicochemical Management Modality in SARS-CoV-2

ABSTRACT

Introduction

COVID-19 disease has shocked the world by its spread and contagiousness. At this time, there is no valid vaccine and no proven drug treatment for COVID-19 patients. Current treatments are focused on Oxygenation, Cytokine Storm management, anti-inflammatory effects, and antiviral therapy. Antiviral photodynamic therapy (aPDT) is based on the reaction between a photo-sensitive agent and a light source in the presence of oxygen which can produce oxidative and free radical agents to damage the virus’ structures. Recent studies show that nanotechnology can improve aPDT’s outcome. The aim of this study was to find out the potential therapeutic effects of Nano antiviral photodynamic therapy on COVID-19.

Areas covered

This review evaluates Nano Antiviral Photodynamic Therapy: A Probable Biophysicochemical Management Modality in SARS-CoV-2. Data were extracted from published different studies published on PUBMED, SCOPUS, and Web of Science.

Expert opinion

Studies indicating that aPDT and Nano-based aPDT can be useful in viral pulmonary complications like Influenza, SARS-CoV, and MERS, but there was no direct study on SARS-Cov-2. Recent studies showed that Nano-based aPDT could relate to control of the stages of viral infections. Altogether, further investigations for the application of nanomedicine in antimicrobial photodynamic inactivation are needed for COVID-19 Management.

KEYWORDS:

• COVID-19
• SARS-CoV-2
• photodynamic therapy
• antiviral Photodynamic therapy
• virus
• nanoparticle

Article highlights

• Antiviral Photodynamic Therapy is a valuable, minimally invasive, and irresistible (unlike antiviral drugs) treatment modality for support and treatment of viral diseases.

• This method has been proven to be effective as a new adjuvant therapy for the management of viral lung diseases.

• Nano Antiviral Photodynamic Therapy as a type of aPDT in combination with Nanomedicine may be useful in the management of COVID–19.

• In this method, biophysicochemical reaction between photon and chemical substances induced a novel effective and relatively safe treatment modality.

• Blood transfusion safety by virus decontamination is currently the main usage of aPDT and plasma decontamination is done for the therapeutic use of plasma of the previously infected patients.

• This study can promote other scientists to work on this new platform.

This box summarizes the key points contained in the article.

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded.