Researchers aimed to identify potential drug candidates for COVID-19 treatment by screening 100 phytocompounds for their binding affinity to the N-terminal domain of nucleocapsid phosphoprotein of SARS-CoV-2. Molecular docking and simulation techniques were used to study the interaction stability of the best three protein-ligand complexes. The phytocompounds which showed good binding affinity and met drug likeness properties and non-toxicity were identified as potential therapy for COVID-19. Alizarin, aloe-emodin, and anthrarufin were identified as the most promising phytocompounds and can be further tested for use as a potential drug to cure SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Nigella sativa (black cumin seeds) has been analyzed for its potential to treat COVID-19. It has been found to possess antiviral, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory properties along with several other beneficial activities. Various studies confirm that it could be used as an adjuvant therapy along with repurposed conventional drugs to better manage patients with COVID-19.
Qing Fei Pai Du Tang (QFPDT), a Chinese medicine formula consisting of 21 herbs, has been reported to be effective in treating COVID-19. It has been shown to prevent the progression of mild cases and shorten hospital stays. The formula has been recommended in China's Clinical Practice Guideline on COVID-19. Basic scientific studies have identified QFPDT's anti-oxidation, immuno-modulation, and antiviral mechanisms, including cytokine storm prevention and angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor binding regulation. QFPDT's multi-target mechanisms for treating viral infections in general and COVID-19 in particular were validated. While large-scale clinical studies of QFPDT are ongoing, real-world data can be used to explore integrative treatment options, including herb-drug interactions.
Researchers investigated the antiviral properties of the Chinese herbal medicine, (Nees) Kuntze, against the Human coronavirus NL63 (HCoV-NL63), which commonly infects the immunocompromised, children, and elderly. The methanol extract of the plant's leaves and its major components, such as tryptanthrin and indigodole B, effectively inhibited the virus' ability to reproduce and cause cellular damage in infected cells. Tryptanthrin, in particular, prevented various stages of the virus' replication process, including blocking viral RNA genome synthesis and protease activity. The study highlights the potential of the plant extract and its components to combat respiratory viral infections caused by HCoV-NL63.
Researchers studied the effect of Dracocephalum heterophyllum Benth flavonoid (DHBF), a traditional medicine used to treat various disorders, on cardiomyocyte hypertrophy in cultured cells. Neonatal rat cardiomyocytes were cultured and hypertrophy was induced using angiotensin II (Ang II). Ang II treatment reduced cell viability and increased the expression of cardiac hypertrophy genes. DHBF treatment reversed these effects in a concentration-dependent manner and may be related to the release of nitric oxide and regulation of intracellular calcium concentration. This study demonstrates the potential of DHBF in treating cardiomyocyte hypertrophy.
The study investigated the effect of reinioside C on the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) induced by angiotensin II (Ang II), which plays a role in arteriosclerosis and restenosis. Treatment with reinioside C inhibited the proliferative effect of Ang II in a concentration-dependent manner. The possible mechanism was found to involve attenuation of Ang II-induced NADPH oxidase mRNA expression, generation of ROS, ERK1/2 phosphorylation, activation of NF-kappaB, and mRNA expression of AP-1 and c-myc in VSMCs. The study suggests that reinioside C inhibits the proliferation of VSMCs induced by Ang II by inhibiting the NADPH oxidase-ROS-ERK1/2-NF-kappaB-AP-1 pathway.
Scientists screened 16 compounds for their antiviral activity against feline coronavirus (FCoV), which causes the fatal disease Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) in cats. They found that Galanthus nivalis agglutinin (GNA) and nelfinavir inhibited FCoV replication. However, when the viral load was increased to mimic FIP, the inhibitors lost their effect. When GNA and nelfinavir were combined, they completely blocked viral replication. This suggests that the combined use of GNA and nelfinavir has therapeutic potential in treating cats with early-diagnosed FIP. These findings are important for developing effective treatments and vaccines against FIP.