Plant Extracts and SARS-CoV-2: Research and Applications

Sandrina A Heleno; Marcio Carocho; Filipa S Reis; Tânia C S P Pires; Manuela Pintado; Isabel C F R Ferreira; Lillian Barros

doi:10.3390/life13020386

Plant Extracts and SARS-CoV-2: Research and Applications

Life (Basel). 2023 Jan 31;13(2):386. doi: 10.3390/life13020386.

Authors

Sandrina A Heleno¹, Marcio Carocho¹, Filipa S Reis¹, Tânia C S P Pires¹, Manuela Pintado², Isabel C F R Ferreira¹, Lillian Barros¹

Affiliations

¹ Centro de Investigação de Montanha (CIMO), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal.
² CBQF-Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina-Laboratório Associado, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Rua de Diogo Botelho 1327, 4169-005 Porto, Portugal.

Abstract

The recent pandemic of COVID-19 caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus has brought upon the world an unprecedented challenge. During its acute dissemination, a rush for vaccines started, making the scientific community come together and contribute to the development of efficient therapeutic agents and vaccines. Natural products have been used as sources of individual molecules and extracts capable of inhibiting/neutralizing several microorganisms, including viruses. Natural extracts have shown effective results against the coronavirus family, when first tested in the outbreak of SARS-CoV-1, back in 2002. In this review, the relationship between natural extracts and SARS-CoV is discussed, while also providing insight into misinformation regarding the use of plants as possible therapeutic agents. Studies with plant extracts on coronaviruses are presented, as well as the main inhibition assays and trends for the future regarding the yet unknown long-lasting effects post-infection with SARS-CoV-2.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; anti-viral agents; pandemic; secondary metabolism.

Publication types

Review

Grants and funding

This research was funded by the Portuguese Fundação para Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT), which financed the Centro de Investigação de Montanha through (UIDB/00690/2020), as well as the researchers S. Heleno and M. Carocho (CEECIND/00831/2018, CEECIND/03040/2017) as well as L. Barros. The research was also funded by the Programa Operacional Regional Norte 2020, within the “PlantCovid” project, NORTE-01-02B7-FEDER-054870.