Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19): A Review of Antiviral Potential Herbal Medicines

Abstract

In Wuhan, China, a severe acute respiratory syndrome caused by coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has emerged, causing serious symptoms in patients such as fever, dry cough, and exhaustion. This fatal pandemic spreads over the globe, causing significant infections in humans, mainly in the respiratory tract. To date, researchers have paid close attention to new therapeutic methods, particularly promising antiviral medicines and vaccines. Especially, existing synthetic antivirals have been used against viruses that prevent replication, entry into the cell, and transmission of the virus. These antiviral agents have been the subject of the basis of drug discovery studies that directly affect COVID 19. Since the COVID-19 outbreak, a variety of conventional herbal remedies have been employed either alone or in combination with current medications to treat infected people with encouraging results. Flavonoids, lectins, polysaccharides, alkaloids, terpenes, lectins and essential oils are some natural ingredients with demonstrated antiviral activity. These secondary metabolites have been shown to be effective against a wide range of viruses in the studies on this subject. In this review, we investigated the potential herbal medicines against various RNA, and DNA viruses, including SARS-CoV-2. We also investigated the bioactive substances from medicinal plants and their potential antiviral efficacy.

In Wuhan, China, a severe acute respiratory syndrome caused by coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has emerged, causing serious symptoms in patients such as fever, dry cough, and exhaustion. This fatal pandemic spreads over the globe, causing significant infections in humans, mainly in the respiratory tract. To date, researchers have paid close attention to new therapeutic methods, particularly promising antiviral medicines and vaccines. Especially, existing synthetic antivirals have been used against viruses that prevent replication, entry into the cell, and transmission of the virus. These antiviral agents have been the subject of the basis of drug discovery studies that directly affect COVID 19. Since the COVID-19 outbreak, a variety of conventional herbal remedies have been employed either alone or in combination with current medications to treat infected people with encouraging results. Flavonoids, lectins, polysaccharides, alkaloids, terpenes, lectins and essential oils are some natural ingredients with demonstrated antiviral activity. These secondary metabolites have been shown to be effective against a wide range of viruses in the studies on this subject. In this review, we investigated the potential herbal medicines against various RNA, and DNA viruses, including SARS-CoV-2. We also investigated the bioactive substances from medicinal plants and their potential antiviral efficacy.