Title:Natural Products in Mitigation of SARS CoV Infections
Volume: 28
Issue: 22
Author(s): Venu Sharma, Ankita Sharma and Sandip B. Bharate*
Affiliation:
- Medicinal Chemistry Division, CSIR- Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Canal Road, Jammu 180001,India
Keywords:
SARS, coronavirus, CoV-2, dietary supplements, natural products, mitigation, COVID-19.
Abstract: Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a critical respiratory disease
caused by coronaviruses (CoV). The available antiviral agents or host-specific antiinflammatory
therapies are the principal treatment modalities, with drug-repurposing as
the most viable approach to timely tackle the CoV pandemic. Though these approaches
are successful to some extent in reducing the mortality rate, however, it is too far to see a
complete escape from the current SARS CoV-2 pandemic. Plants are the primary source
of diet, dietary supplements, botanical drugs, and natural products (NPs). It has been well
accepted and proved via several scientific studies that plant-based therapies play a vital
role in managing such infections. The faulty immune system (compromised innate immunity
or aberrant immune activation) determines the severity of the respiratory distress
in CoV-2 infected patients. Natural products intervene at various stages of the virus replication
cycle, including inhibition of virus entry into the host cells, inhibition of serine/
cysteine proteases, RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) or helicase. Besides, several
natural products or plant-based dietary supplements have a unique ability to strengthen
the immune system or alleviate the hyper-inflammatory condition. Many plant-based
formulations, dietary supplements, and NPs are being investigated in clinical trials in
CoV-2 infected patients, and few have already shown positive results. The review has unearthed
several NP leads for medicinal chemistry programs as well as some having direct
opportunity of repurposing in SARS CoV infections.
