Impact of Traditional Plants and their Secondary Metabolites in the Discovery of COVID-19 Treatment

Abstract

Background: Coronavirus Disease-2019 belongs to the family of viruses which cause serious pneumonia along with fever, breathing issues and infection of lungs, and was first reported in China and later spread worldwide.

Objective: Several studies and clinical trials have been conducted to identify potential drugs and vaccines for Coronavirus Disease-2019. The present study listed natural secondary metabolites identified from plant sources with antiviral properties and could be a safer and tolerable treatment for Coronavirus Disease-2019.

Methods: A comprehensive search on the reported studies was conducted using different search engines such as Google Scholar, SciFinder, Sciencedirect, Medline PubMed, and Scopus for the collection of research articles based on plant-derived secondary metabolites, herbal extracts, and traditional medicine for coronavirus infections.

Results: Status of COVID-19 worldwide and information of important molecular targets involved in COVID- 19 are described, and through literature search, it is highlighted that numerous plant species and their extracts possess antiviral properties and are studied with respect to coronavirus treatments. Chemical information, plant source, test system type with a mechanism of action for each secondary metabolite are also mentioned in this review paper.

Conclusion: The present review has listed plants that have presented antiviral potential in the previous coronavirus pandemics and their secondary metabolites, which could be significant for the development of novel and a safer drug which could prevent and cure coronavirus infection worldwide.

Keywords: COVID-19; TCM; coronavirus; dietary supplementation; herbal medicine; plant; secondary metabolites.