Isobavachalcone for COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant and lasting impact on the world. Four years on, despite the existence of effective vaccines, the continuous emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants remains a challenge for long-term immunity. Additionally, there remain few purpose-built antivirals to protect individuals at risk of severe disease in the event of future coronavirus outbreaks. A promising mechanism of action for novel coronavirus antivirals is the inhibition of viral entry. To facilitate entry, the coronavirus spike glycoprotein interacts with angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) on respiratory epithelial cells. Blocking this interaction and consequently viral replication may be an effective strategy for treating infection, however further research is needed to better characterize candidate molecules with antiviral activity before progressing to animal studies and clinical trials. In general, antiviral drugs are developed from purely synthetic compounds or synthetic derivatives of natural products such as plant secondary metabolites. While the former is often favored due to the higher specificity afforded by rational drug design, natural products offer several unique advantages that make them worthy of further study including diverse bioactivity and the ability to work synergistically with other drugs. Accordingly, there has recently been a renewed interest in natural product-derived antivirals in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. This review provides a summary of recent research into coronavirus entry inhibitors, with a focus on natural compounds derived from plants, honey, and marine sponges.

The emergence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has affected many countries throughout the world. As urgency is a necessity, most efforts have focused on identifying small molecule drugs that can be repurposed for use as anti-SARS-CoV-2 agents. Although several drug candidates have been identified using in silico method and in vitro studies, most of these drugs require the support of in vivo data before they can be considered for clinical trials. Several drugs are considered promising therapeutic agents for COVID-19. In addition to the direct-acting antiviral drugs, supportive therapies including traditional Chinese medicine, immunotherapies, immunomodulators, and nutritional therapy could contribute a major role in treating COVID-19 patients. Some of these drugs have already been included in the treatment guidelines, recommendations, and standard operating procedures. In this article, we comprehensively review the approved and potential therapeutic drugs, immune cells-based therapies, immunomodulatory agents/drugs, herbs and plant metabolites, nutritional and dietary for COVID-19.

Amid the SARS‐CoV‐2 pandemic, herbal medicines have received much attention in its evidence-based therapeutics. Scientists across the globe are integrating new research at an unprecedented fast pace for the discovery of novel molecules against this deadly viral disease. Ever since ancient times, phytochemicals have long been used traditionally for the cure of many viral diseases and lately many are being tested for their potential against the viral replications/transcriptions. The unmatched structural diversity of phytoconstituents may prove to be a gold mine for antiviral drug discovery. Many plants like Heteromorpha spp., Bupleurum spp, Scrophularia scorodonia, Artemisia annua, Pyrrosia lingua, Lycoris radiate, and Lindera agregata have also been reported to have antiviral potential against SARS-CoV. Recently many synthetic molecules like remdesivir, tocilizumab, favipirapir, dexamethasone, glucocorticoid, and hydroxychloroquine etc. have been extensively investigated for their potential against the SARS‐CoV‐2, likewise, various plant-based molecules such as scutellarein, silvestrol, tryptanthrin, saikosaponin B2, quercetin, myricetin, caffeic acid, psoralidin, isobavachalcone, and lectins-griffiths in were also found to be equally effective. Needless to mention that, the herbal medicines are a valuable and powerful source of chemical compounds which need further chemical modifications and appropriate in-vitro and in-vivo testings for establishing their safety and efficacy as potential drugs against the battle with coronavirus pandemic. In this review, we will try to highlight the potential phytochemicals candidates with their possible molecular targets against the SARS‐CoV‐2and demystify the myths behind the purported remedies such as herbal therapies, teas, essential oils, tinctures, and silver products such as colloidal silver that have no scientific evidence to prevent or cure COVID-19. Apart from that, this review will also de-fabricate the surgency of objectionable claims that are continuously reckoning towards the treatment of COVID-19 with hundred per cent surety and are propagated by several herbal firms.

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.