Title:Properties of Ethnomedicinal Plants and Their Bioactive Compounds: Possible Use for COVID-19 Prevention and Treatment
Volume: 27
Issue: 13
Author(s): Ambreen Shoaib, Lubna Azmi, Ila Shukla, Saad S. Alqahtani, Ibrahim A. Alsarra and Faiyaz Shakeel*
Affiliation:
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2457, Riyadh 11451,Saudi Arabia
Keywords:
Anthocyanins, COVID-19, Middle East respiratory syndrome, Nigella sativa, Pandemic, SARS-CoV.
Abstract:
Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has changed the global scenario.
To date, there are no treatment or preventive options. The discovery of a new drug will take time. In addition,
the new drug will have side effects, and the virus will gradually become resistant to it. Therefore, it is important
to search for a drug with a natural origin.
Objective: In this review, we analyzed and summarized various ethnomedicinal plants and their bioactive compounds
as a source of antiviral agents for COVID-19 prevention and treatment.
Methods: From the literature, we selected different natural compounds that can act as potential targets at low
cost with broad-spectrum antiviral activity.
Results: Of the 200 Chinese herbal extracts tested for their possible role against SARS-CoV, Lycoris radiata,
Artemisia annua, Pyrrosia lingua, and Lindera aggregate showed anti-SARS-CoV effects with the median effective
concentration = 2.4-88.2 μg/mL.
Conclusion: Ethnomedicinal herbs can be used as an alternative source of novel, promising antiviral agents that
might directly or indirectly inhibit the COVID-19 progression.