Ambreen Shoaib, Lubna Azmi, Ila Shukla, Saad S. Alqahtani, Ibrahim A. Alsarra and Faiyaz Shakeel* Pages 1579 - 1587 ( 9 )
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.
Anthocyanins, COVID-19, Middle East respiratory syndrome, Nigella sativa, Pandemic, SARS-CoV.
Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Jazan University, Jazan, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Hygia Institute of Pharmaceutical Education & Research, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, Department of Pharmacology, Jivika College of Pharmacy, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Jazan University, Jazan, Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2457, Riyadh 11451, Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2457, Riyadh 11451