Objectives: β-Escin, one of the constituents of Aesculus hippocastanum L. (Hippocastanaceae) seed extract (AH), inhibits NF-κB activation, which plays an important role in HSV-1 replication. The aim was to examine the antiherpetic activity of β-escin and AH, as well as their effect on the activation of NF-κB and AP-1 and cytokine secretion in epithelial cells and macrophages. Methods: Cell viability was evaluated using MTT assay, and antiviral and virucidal activity was determined by plaque assay. The effect on NF-κB and AP-1 signalling pathways activation was determined by a luciferase reporter assay, and cytokine production was measured by ELISA. Key findings: β-Escin and AH had virucidal and anti-HSV-1 activities, and the antiviral activity was discovered for other enveloped viruses (VSV and Dengue). Moreover, β-escin and AH significantly reduced NF-κB and AP-1 activation and cytokine production in macrophages stimulated with HSV-1 and TLRs ligands. However, an enhanced activation of these pathways and an increase in the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in β-escin and AH-treated HSV-1-infected epithelial cells were found. Conclusions: This study demonstrates virucidal and broad-spectrum antiviral activities for β escin and AH. Besides, β-escin and AH modulate cytokine production depending on the stimuli (viral or non-viral) and the cell type under study.

New antiviral treatments are needed to deal with the unpredictable emergence of viruses. Furthermore, vaccines and antivirals are only available for just a few viral infections, and antiviral drug resistance is an increasing concern. Cyanidin (a natural product also called A18), a key flavonoid that is present in red berries and other fruits, attenuates the development of several diseases, through its anti-inflammatory effects. Regarding its mechanism of action, A18 was identified as an IL-17A inhibitor, resulting in the attenuation of IL-17A signaling and associated diseases in mice. Importantly, A18 also inhibits the NF-κB signaling pathway in different cell types and conditions in vitro and in vivo. In this study, we report that A18 restricts RSV, HSV-1, canine coronavirus, and SARS-CoV-2 multiplication, indicating a broad-spectrum antiviral activity. We also found that A18 can control cytokine and NF-κB induction in RSV-infected cells independently of its antiviral activity. Furthermore, in mice infected with RSV, A18 not only significantly reduces viral titers in the lungs, but also diminishes lung injury. Thus, these results provide evidence that A18 could be used as a broad-spectrum antiviral and may contribute to the development of novel therapeutic targets to control these viral infections and pathogenesis.

To date, few studies have focused on the clinical and allergic characteristics of asthma in the elderly, defined as asthma in people aged 60 or over. Thus, we propose to identify and study the clinical and allergic characteristics and comorbidities of patients with asthma among the elderly. A retrospective, observational, descriptive study was developed in five clinics and hospitals in Argentina. Allergy Physicians analyzed their patients’ medical records in 2014 and included those adults over the age of 60, who had been diagnosed with asthma according to the GINA guidelines. Clinical and allergic characteristics were analyzed. A total of 152 patients diagnosed with asthma, of whom 73% were women and 11% ex-smokers, were included in this study, with a mean age of 66 years. Only 10.5% of the participants had onset asthma past the age of 60. Regarding asthma severity, 74.3% were diagnosed with moderate persistent asthma, and 7.2% with severe persistent asthma. Eighty-four percent of the patients were treated with an inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) along with a long-acting β 2-adrenergic agent (LABA). More than half of the patients had two or more comorbidities simultaneously. Allergic comorbidities were the most frequent comorbidities, followed by arterial hypertension. Among allergic comorbidities, most patients presented allergies at the nasal level. There were no significant differences between the subpopulations of patients with late-onset asthma (LOA) and asthma with onset before the age of 60, i.e. early onset asthma (EOA) in most of their clinical characteristics. However, it was observed that EOA accounted for a higher percentage of patients with nasal allergies as compared to LOA (71% vs 46%, p < 0.05).It is worth mentioning that almost half of the patients with LOA had allergies at the nasal level. These results may provide a better understanding of the clinical characteristics of asthma in the elderly in Argentina, thus, enabling the development of future therapeutic strategies and a better quality of life for our elderly asthma patients.

Respiratory viruses can cause life-threatening illnesses. The focus of treatment is on supportive therapies and direct antivirals. However, antivirals may cause resistance by exerting selective pressure. Modulating the host response has emerged as a viable therapeutic approach for treating respiratory infections. Additionally, considering the probable future respiratory virus outbreaks emphasizes the need for broad-spectrum therapies to be prepared for the next pandemics. One of the principal bioactive constituents found in the seed extract of Aesculus hippocastanum L. (AH) is β-escin. The clinical therapeutic role of β-escin and AH has been associated with their anti-inflammatory effects. Regarding their mechanism of action, we and others have shown that β-escin and AH affect NF-κB signaling. Furthermore, we have reported the virucidal and broad-spectrum antiviral properties of β-escin and AH against enveloped viruses such as RSV, in vitro and in vivo. In this study, we demonstrate that β-escin and AH have antiviral and virucidal activities against SARS-CoV-2 and CCoV, revealing broad-spectrum antiviral activity against coronaviruses. Likewise, they exhibited NF-κB and cytokine modulating activities in epithelial and macrophage cell lines infected with coronaviruses in vitro. Hence, β-escin and AH are promising broad-spectrum antiviral, immunomodulatory, and virucidal drugs against coronaviruses and respiratory viruses, including SARS-CoV-2.