Compounds of plants with activity against SARS-CoV-2 targets

ABSTRACT

Introduction

The COVID-19 global pandemic is a public health emergency due to its high virulence and mortality. Many vaccine development studies at clinical trials are currently conducted to combat SARS-CoV-2. Plants are a rich source of phytochemicals with different biological activities, including antiviral activities, which are the focus of many studies.

Areas covered

This review shows compounds of traditional plants listed on RENISUS list have therapeutic properties against SARS-CoV-2 targets.

Expert Opinion

The rise of new variants, more pathogenic and virulent, impacts in the increase of mortality from SARS-CoV-2 infection, and thus, the control of the outbreaks of disease remains a global challenge. Other’s drug and vaccines development is an essential element in controlling SARS-COV-2. Therefore, it is imperative that approach to tackle this pandemic has to be solidly evidence-informed. It should be noticed that the immune system does play critical roles in fighting viruses. Studies show that T cells levels decreased continuously as the disease progressed. T cell-mediated cellular immune response, probably by immunological memory, is essential for direct virus eradication after infection whilst B cells functions in producing antibodies that neutralize virus.But, have distinct patterns of T cell response exist in different patients, suggesting the possibility of distinct clinical approaches. Efforts are concentrated to elucidate the underlying immunological mechanisms in SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis and progression for better design of diagnostic, therapeutic and preventive strategies. We seek to identify biomolecules with the potential to act in biomarkers that predict how severe the disease can get. But it is important to warn that the plants that produce the compounds mentioned here should not be used without a physician prescription. Finally, we speculate that these compounds may eventually attract the attention of physicians and researchers to perform tests in specific contexts of SARS-CoV-2 infection, and if they show positive results, be tested in Clinical trials.

KEYWORDS:

• SARS-CoV-2
• targets
• medicinal plants
• compounds
• therapeutic effects

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the University of Taquari Valley, Brazil.

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Article Highlights

• Researchers have found essential proteins in the blood of people infected with SARS-CoV-2 that can act as biomarkers that predict how severe the disease can get.

• Most of the studies selected in this review did not evaluate the direct compounds’ behavior against SARS-CoV-2.

• Care is required while prescribing phytocompounds as their uncontrolled use can have long-term side effects.

• The immune-modulatory effect makes T cells a potential tool for the antiviral drug-discovery.

• The compounds offer therapeutic options to fight the SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Additional information

Funding

This study was financed in part by the Coordination of Improvement of Higher Education Personnel - Brazil (CAPES) - Finance Code 001 and National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq).