COVID-19, a devastating pandemic disease, is currently wreaking havoc worldwide. However, another illness wreaking havoc on the country is known as "black fungus," sometimes known as "mucormycosis." Black fungal illness has piqued people's interest in tandem with discussions about COVID-19. This disease has been declared a pandemic in various states, including Maharashtra and Gujarat, as well as Rajasthan. Doctors discovered that this fungus only infects people with extremely impaired immune systems, such as COVID-19 patients with diabetes or high uncontrolled blood sugar levels following recovery. Black fungus is a rare fungal infection that affects one out of every 10,000 people but has a 50% fatality rate. The indiscriminate use of steroids for the treatment of COVID-19 patients has been identified as a probable cause of infection. The use of steroids in COVID-19 patients reduced inflammation in the lungs when the body's immune system was fighting the virus, but uncontrolled use of steroid doses reduced immunity and raised blood glucose levels due to less physical activity in diabetic and nondiabetic people, increasing the risk of contracting black fungal infection. In severely immune-compromised persons, a black fungal infection can attack the sinuses, lungs, and brain, and can be life-threatening. Blackish discoloration around the nose, bleeding, and stuffy nose; black crusts in the nose, loosening of teeth, jaw involvement, one-sided facial pain or numbness, and swelling in the eyes; drooping of eyelids; pleural effusion, worsening of respiratory symptoms, and blurred loss of vision are the most commonly observed symptoms.(1, 2) Inhibition of 1,3-glucan production by inhibitor medications such amphotericin/echinocandins decreased fungal growth and consequently replication, according to Zavrel and White (2020).(3) Due to fungicidal medicine clinical limits, high cost, unavoidable toxicities, and the emergence of drug resistance, the development of effective and safe fungicidal treatments based on novel antifungal targets is urgently required.(4) The major pharmacological compounds that limit 1,3-glucan production have been proposed as potential treatment medicines for fungal infections.(5) It is a glucosyl-transferase enzyme that helps fungi make beta-glucan, which is an important component of cell walls. Because no such structure exists in humans, a previous study suggested that 1,3-beta-glucan synthase could be a promising target for antifungal medication development. (6, 7) Here, we present our perspective on the potential use of bioactive compounds of ginger as a potential treatment modality for black fungus by targeting a 1,3-beta-glucan synthase fungal enzyme.
Garlic (Allium sativum L.; Amaryllidaceae) is a fragrant herbaceous annual spice that has been used as a traditional medicine since ancient times.(8, 9) It is the second most widely used Allium species, after onion (Allium cepa L.), and is used to treat a variety of ailments, including the common cold, influenza, snake bites, and hypertension.(10) Allium species and active components have been shown to lower the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, protect against infections by activating the immune system, and have antimicrobial, antifungal, antiaging, and anticancer properties, according to epidemiological data from human clinical trials.(11) We hypothesize that garlic phytochemicals have the capability to prevent black fungal infection. Therefore, the research objective of the current study was in-silico analysis and molecular docking studies pertaining to garlic phytochemicals in relation to 1,3-beta-glucan synthase. As a result of the current study's findings, researchers will be able to identify the most effective fungicidal agents during COVID-19 treatment.