Could Curcumin hydrogel for photodynamic therapy fight against SARS-CoV-2?

Abstract

A traditional Chinese medicine “Curcumin” has been used as a photosensitizer in the application of photodynamic therapy such a long time. However, it has significant limitations, including poor “solubility” and “absorbtivity”. “Hydrogel” is being used to overcome these problems, which enhance the biodegradability and biocompatibility of curcumin. This present article discusses the background, research progress, and clinical study to describe the possibility of curcumin hydrogel for photodynamic therapy fight against SARS-CoV-2. Based on the literature review finding, curcumin as a photosensitizer uses a microcatheter to incorporate the hydrogel systemically or locally into the lungs through the pulmonary artery to combat SARS-CoV-2. It is extracorporeal illumination for photodynamic therapy, which exposure to blue light with a mean wavelength of 450 nm is a much safe and limited depth of photodynamic therapy treatment. Thus, curcumin incorporated with the hydrogel is a suitable candidate used for the photodynamic treatment of SARS-CoV-2, cancer, wound healing, and bacterial infection.