Publications by authors named "Martina Morokutti-Kurz"

Purpose: This study aimed to develop a hyperosmolar, barrier-forming nasal spray based on carrageenan and sorbitol, and to demonstrate its decongestant effect in the context of allergic rhinitis (AR).

Methods: The efficacy of the nasal spray components was tested in vitro by barrier function, virus replication inhibition, and water absorption assays. The decongestant effectiveness was assessed in a randomized, controlled, crossover environmental chamber trial, where participants with a history of seasonal grass pollen AR were exposed to grass pollen allergens under controlled conditions.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: Nonpharmacological, barrier-forming nasal sprays are used to manage symptoms of allergic rhinitis. We aim to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of Callergin (investigational product, IP), a nasal spray containing barrier-forming iota-carrageenan, in the treatment of allergic rhinitis (AR).

Methods: In this randomized, controlled, crossover trial, adults with grass pollen allergy underwent a treatment sequence with IP, VisAlpin (comparator product, CP), and no treatment in random order.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS), particularly its deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs), play a key role in the replication cycle of coronaviruses. The SARS-CoV-2 papain-like protease (Plpro) is known to process the viral polyproteins to form the replicase transcriptase complex and to counteract the host viral response. Recently, it was shown that this viral protease can also act as a deubiquitinating enzyme.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread around the world and remains a major public health threat. Vaccine inefficiency, vaccination breakthroughs and lack of supply, especially in developing countries, as well as the fact that a non-negligible part of the population either refuse vaccination or cannot be vaccinated due to age, pre-existing illness or non-response to existing vaccines intensify this issue. This might also contribute to the emergence of new variants, being more efficiently transmitted, more virulent and more capable of escaping naturally acquired and vaccine-induced immunity.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Even in the face of global vaccination campaigns, there is still an urgent need for effective antivirals against SARS-CoV-2 and its rapidly spreading variants. Several natural compounds show potential as antiviral substances and have the advantages of broad availabilities and large therapeutic windows. Here, we report that lectin from (Wheat Germ Agglutinin) displays antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 and its major Variants of Concern (VoC), Alpha and Beta.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate whether sucking of an iota-carrageenan containing lozenge releases sufficient iota-carrageenan into the saliva of healthy subjects to neutralize representatives of the most common respiratory virus families causing common cold and SARS-CoV-2.

Patients And Methods: In this monocentric, open label, prospective clinical trial, 31 healthy subjects were included to suck a commercially available iota-carrageenan containing lozenge. Saliva samples from 27 subjects were used for ex vivo efficacy analysis.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

In the absence of a vaccine and other effective prophylactic or therapeutic countermeasures the severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) remains a significant public health threat. Attachment and entry of coronaviruses including SARS-CoV-2 is mainly mediated by the spike glycoprotein. Here, we show that iota-carrageenan can inhibit the cell entry of the SARS-CoV-2 spike pseudotyped lentivirus in a dose dependent manner.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Due to fast nasal mucociliary clearance, only the dissolved drug content can effectively permeate the mucosa and be pharmaceutically active after intranasal application of suspensions. Therefore, the aim of this study was to increase the budesonide concentration in solution of a nasal spray formulation. Budesonide, a highly water-insoluble corticosteroid, was successfully solubilized using a micellar formulation comprising escin, propylene glycol and dexpanthenol in an aqueous buffered environment ("Budesolv").

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: Xylometazoline hydrochloride (HCl) is a nasal decongestant that causes vasoconstriction in the nasal submucosa. It has been used for more than 50 years for the treatment of nasal congestion caused by rhinitis/sinusitis. Iota-carrageenan is effective against a broad variety of respiratory viruses, which are the most common cause of infections of the upper respiratory tract.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Up to 80% of sore throats are caused by viruses. Several over the counter products are available which provide symptomatic, not causal relief. For such lozenges, containing the antiseptics and local anesthetics amylmetacresol (AMC) and 2,4-dichlorobenzyl alcohol (DCBA) or hexylresorcinol (HR), recently an additional virucidal effect was published.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Carrageenan is a clinically proven and marketed compound for the treatment of viral upper respiratory tract infections. As infections caused by influenza virus are often accompanied by infections with other respiratory viruses the combination of a specific anti-influenza compound with the broadly active antiviral polymer has huge potential for the treatment of respiratory infections. Thus, the combination of the specific anti-influenza drug Zanamivir together with carrageenan in a formulation suitable for intranasal application was evaluated in-vitro and in-vivo.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: Warning

Message: fopen(/var/lib/php/sessions/ci_session2h4f339k78o8n2hik29l2qght8g3s5pq): Failed to open stream: No space left on device

Filename: drivers/Session_files_driver.php

Line Number: 177

Backtrace:

File: /var/www/html/index.php
Line: 316
Function: require_once

A PHP Error was encountered

Severity: Warning

Message: session_start(): Failed to read session data: user (path: /var/lib/php/sessions)

Filename: Session/Session.php

Line Number: 137

Backtrace:

File: /var/www/html/index.php
Line: 316
Function: require_once