Radiation Sciences Research Center, Laser Research Center in Medical Sciences, AJA University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
International Network for Photo Medicine and Photo Dynamic Therapy (INPMPDT), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran.
Adv Exp Med Biol. 2021;1318:517-547. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-63761-3_30.
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has shocked the world by its spread and contagiousness. There is no approved vaccine and no proven treatment for this infection. Some potential treatments that have already been associated with antiviral and anti-inflammatory effects are under investigation. Photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) is a photon-based therapy that uses light to mediate a variety of metabolic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory effects. Antiviral photodynamic therapy (aPDT) is a branch of photodynamic therapy based on the reaction between a photosensitizing agent and a light source in the presence of oxygen, which can produce oxidative and free radical agents to damage the viral structures such as proteins and nucleic acids. This chapter aims to discuss the potential therapeutic benefit of PBMT and aPDT in the context of the novel coronavirus. Studies indicate that PBMT and aPDT could be useful in many viral and bacterial pulmonary complications like influenza, SARS-CoV, and MERS, but we found no direct study on SARS-CoV-2. With a combination of PBMT and aPDT, we may be able to combat COVID-19 with minimal interference with pharmaceutical agents. It might improve the efficacy of PBMT and aPDT by using monoclonal antibodies and preparing new photosensitizers at the nanoscale that target the lung tissue specifically. More animal and human studies would need to take place to reach an effective protocol. This chapter would encourage other scientists to work on this new platform.
新型冠状病毒病 (COVID-19) 的传播和传染性令全球震惊。目前，这种感染尚无批准的疫苗和经过验证的治疗方法。一些已被证明具有抗病毒和抗炎作用的潜在治疗方法正在研究中。光生物调节疗法 (PBMT) 是一种基于光子的疗法，利用光来介导多种代谢、镇痛、抗炎和免疫调节作用。光动力疗法 (aPDT) 是光动力疗法的一个分支，基于光敏剂和光源在存在氧气的情况下的反应，这可以产生氧化和自由基物质来破坏病毒结构，如蛋白质和核酸。本章旨在讨论 PBMT 和 aPDT 在新型冠状病毒背景下的潜在治疗益处。研究表明，PBMT 和 aPDT 可用于治疗许多病毒性和细菌性肺部并发症，如流感、SARS-CoV 和 MERS，但我们没有发现直接针对 SARS-CoV-2 的研究。通过结合 PBMT 和 aPDT，我们可以用最小的药物干扰来对抗 COVID-19。通过使用单克隆抗体和制备针对肺部组织的新型纳米级光敏剂，可能会提高 PBMT 和 aPDT 的疗效。需要进行更多的动物和人体研究以制定有效的方案。本章将鼓励其他科学家在这个新平台上开展工作。
