Anti-viral effect of usenamine a using SARS-CoV-2 pseudo-typed viruses

Zijun Li; Joo-Eun Lee; Namki Cho; Hee Min Yoo

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e21742

Anti-viral effect of usenamine a using SARS-CoV-2 pseudo-typed viruses

Heliyon. 2023 Oct 28;9(11):e21742. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e21742. eCollection 2023 Nov.

Authors

Zijun Li^{1

2}, Joo-Eun Lee², Namki Cho², Hee Min Yoo^{1

3}

Affiliations

¹ Biometrology Group, Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS), Daejeon 34113, South Korea.
² Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, South Korea.
³ Department of Precision Measurement, University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon 34113, South Korea.

Abstract

The escalating pandemic brought about by the novel SARS-CoV-2 virus is threatening global health, and thus, it is necessary to develop effective antiviral drugs. Usenamine A is a dibenzo-furan derivative separated from lichen Usnea diffracta showing broad-spectrum activity against different viruses. We evaluate that usenamine A has antiviral effects against novel SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant pseudotyped viruses (PVs) in A549 cells. In addition, usenamine A significantly suppresses SARS-CoV-2 PV-induced mitochondrial depolarization, elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, apoptosis, and inflammation. Usenamine A also causes the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein to become less stable. Thus, usenamine A shows potential as an antiviral drug that can provide protection against COVID-19.

Keywords: Antiviral activity; Natural products; Pseudotyped viruses; Reactive oxygen species; SARS-CoV-2.