Endothelial CD38-induced endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition is a pivotal driver in pulmonary fibrosis.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a prevalent interstitial lung disease with high mortality. CD38 is a main enzyme for intracellular nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) degradation in mammals. It has been reported that CD38 participated in pulmonary fibrosis through promoting alveolar epithelial cells senescence.

Discovery of meisoindigo derivatives as noncovalent and orally available M inhibitors: their therapeutic implications in the treatment of COVID-19.

The progressive emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants has necessitated the urgent exploration of novel therapeutic strategies to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. The SARS-CoV-2 main protease (M) represents an evolutionarily conserved therapeutic target for drug discovery. This study highlights the discovery of meisoindigo (Mei), derived from the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) Indigo naturalis, as a novel non-covalent and nonpeptidic M inhibitor.