Title:The Importance of Flavonoids and Phytochemicals of Medicinal Plants
with Antiviral Activities
Volume: 19
Issue: 3
Author(s): Mohamad Hesam Shahrajabian*, Wenli Sun and Qi Cheng
Affiliation:
- Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
Keywords:
Influenza, phytochemicals, SARS, SARS-CoV-2, flavonoids, traditional medicinal plants.
Abstract: Abstract: In this mini-review article, we have mentioned the key roles of some of the most important
herbal plants medicine containing flavonoids and phytochemicals with antiviral activities. All
relevant information was searched by using the terms, influenza, phytochemicals, SARS, SARSCov-
2, flavonoids, and traditional medicinal plants uses, from reliable databases, such as PubMed,
Science Direct, and Google Scholar. The most important medicinal herbs which contain flavonoids
with antiviral activities are Limonium densiflorum, Oroxylum indicum, Tribulus terrestris L., Paulownia
tomentosa Steud., Allophylus africanus, Houttuynia cordata, Moslea Herba, Mosla scabra,
Scutellaria baicalensis, Berries, Genus Psoralea, Sophora tonkinensis, Trollius chinensis, Tilia cordata,
Hippophae rhamnoides L. (Seabuckthorn), Paulownia tomentosa steud, and C. swietenia. Phytochemicals
are chemicals of plant origin produced by plants through primary or secondary metabolism.
The most important medicinal plants, which contain phytochemicals with antiviral activities are
Blue honeysuckle (Lonicera caerulea L.), Forsythia suspense, Ligustrum lucidum, Radix Paeoniae
Alba (Bai Shao), Banlangen (Radix Isatidis), Lysiphyllum strychnifolium, Phellinus baumii, Mesona
chinensis, Sanguinaria Canadensis, Dodonaea viscosa, Isatis indigotica, Pelargonium sidoides, Entada
Africana Guill., Pomegranate (Punica granatum), Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis), Lychee
fruit extract, Lycoris radiate, Cistus incanus, Chaenomeles sinensis Koehne (Chinese quince), Geranium
sanguineum L., and Tea polyphenols. Natural products from traditional herbal medicines, especially
traditional Chinese and Persian medicines, have been found to exert antiviral impacts against
influenza and human coronaviruses. The natural plant-derived compounds that have been used for
treating various diseases are flavonoids and phytochemicals.