Thinking outside the Box: Could there be a Plant-Based Treatment for Coronavirus Infections? A Review of the Literature

Abstract

The novel coronavirus COVID-19 is a viral pathogen that first emerged in Wuhan, China in 2002 and has spread to 202 countries (as of March 28, 2020) [1]. Despite the fact that the 2005 SARS-CoV pandemic infected over 8,500 people, and caused over 800 deaths with billions of dollars in economic loss worldwide, as of 2015 there were still no clinically approved antiviral drugs, vaccines or monoclonal antibody therapies to treat SARS-CoV infections [2]. Antiviral medications that have been used to treat or control other viral infections have been ineffective and therefore, it is imperative to consider alternatives to current antiviral treatment options for this disease. Essential oils (EO) and their isolated compounds, (terpenes, terpenoids and aromatic compounds) have been shown to have antimicrobial activity against a wide range of pathogens including bacteria, viruses and fungi [3]. The mechanism of action of EO’s is linked to 100’s of chemical compounds per plant extract, and the fact that they are lipophilic, easily passing through viral cell walls. The presence of nanoparticles (NPs) functionalized within the EO render the EO impervious to the defenses of pathogens. The permeability eventually results in the death of pathogenic cell as leakage of critical molecules and ions occurs destroying the cell [4].