Starting anti-COVID-19 drug discovery with natural products

Abstract

COVID-19 was characterized as a pandemic regarding its rapid international spread and severity on March 2020. The Coronaviridae family receives this name regarding the organization of the spike glycoprotein located in the envelope, which resembles a stellar corona when observed under a microscope. Coronaviruses undergo frequent mutations in their genome due to errors made by RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). The SARS-CoV-2 was characterized by high infectivity and person to person transmission, with an incubation period of up to fourteen days. Potent antiviral activities of several natural products such as alkaloids, chalcones, triterpenoids have been reported but with unconfirmed efficacy or safety in the clinic as well as the complete underlying mechanisms. Also, CQ, HCQ and Ivermectin, remdesivir, lopinavir, ritonavir, favipiravir and pegylated interferon with ribavirin have been tested to develop both an effective therapy and a vaccine to treat COVID-19. This study investigated the antiviral effects of the natural products against SARS-CoV, HCoV-NL63, HCoV-229E and HCoV-OC43. Also, the Lycorine, Emodin, Promazine, Saikosaponins B2, Silvestrol, Cepharanthine, Fangchinoline, Tetrandrine, Caffeic acid, Chlorogenic acid, Gallic acid and Emetine are considered an important hit compounds for prospective anti-SARS-CoV-2 drug discovery.