The effectiveness of common household spices and herbs in combating the COVID-19: a review based on experimental and virtual screening

Abstract

Introduction

As of December 2019, the seventh coronavirus strain (SARS-COV-2), also known as COVID-19, had erupted in Wuhan, China, causing a global pandemic. This virus, which has also caused over 6.9 million deaths, has infected over 700 million people globally. Alternative preventive and therapeutic strategies, such as medicinal botanicals, are being sought in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

The combination of common herbal components with antiviral action, confirmed experimentally and computationally, is the subject of this review paper. We compiled a list of one hundred antiviral phytochemicals from Aloe vera, honey, cinnamon, garlic, ginger, clove, and black cumin seeds from the literature. These compounds targeted three important steps in the replication cycle of SARS-CoV-2: the spike protein, RdRp, ACE2, NSP-16, and main protease (MPro). The phytochemical’s anti-viral potential is determined by their binding energy levels.

Results

Many herbs and spices contain bioactive phytochemicals that have shown strong binding energies to inhibit various targets of the SARS-CoV-2 protein. The development of antiviral medications to treat SARS-CoV-2 could be aided by further clinical trials on these molecules.

Conclusions

According to the findings of the literature study, it was concluded that the phytochemicals that are found in common household herbs and spices have the potential to play a significant role in the prevention and treatment of coronavirus transmission.