Natural Products as a Promising Therapy for SARS-CoV-2: An Overview

The review discussed the potential of natural products, particularly phytochemicals, as supportive therapies for SARS CoV-2. Compounds such as flavonoids (baicalin, hesperidin, quercetin, luteolin) and phenolics (resveratrol, curcumin, theaflavin) were noted for their ability to interfere with viral proteins crucial to the virus's life cycle, as well as their anti-inflammatory properties. Triterpenoids (celastrol, escin, glycyrrhizin) and alkaloids (lycorine, cepharanthine) primarily exerted effects through anti-inflammatory activity. Glycyrrhetinic acid, a metabolite of glycyrrhizin, was highlighted for its role in downregulating ACE2 and reducing protease expression, potentially decreasing viral entry. The review suggested these natural products could be a foundational step towards developing effective treatments or vaccines for the pandemic.