Authors
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Salama M. El-Darier
Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, 21500, Alexandria, Egypt.
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Suzan A. Rashed
Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, 21500, Alexandria, Egypt and Biotechnology Program, Basic and Applied Sciences (BAS) Institute, Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology (E-JUST), New Borg El-Arab city, Alexandria, Egypt.
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Ayat Fayez
Biotechnology Program, Basic and Applied Sciences (BAS) Institute, Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology (E-JUST), New Borg El-Arab city, Alexandria, Egypt.
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Sarah S. Hassanein
Biotechnology Program, Basic and Applied Sciences (BAS) Institute, Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology (E-JUST), New Borg El-Arab city, Alexandria, Egypt and Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, 12613, Giza, Egypt.
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Muhammed R. Sharaby
Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, 21500, Alexandria, Egypt and Biotechnology Program, Basic and Applied Sciences (BAS) Institute, Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology (E-JUST), New Borg El-Arab city, Alexandria, Egypt.
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Noran M. Tawfik
Biotechnology Program, Basic and Applied Sciences (BAS) Institute, Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology (E-JUST), New Borg El-Arab city, Alexandria, Egypt and Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University, 41522, Ismailia, Egypt.
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Heba Mansour
Biotechnology Program, Basic and Applied Sciences (BAS) Institute, Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology (E-JUST), New Borg El-Arab city, Alexandria, Egypt and Polymeric Materials Research Department, Advanced Technology and New Materials Research Institute (ATNMRI), City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications (SRTA-City), 21934, New Borg El-Arab City, Alexandria, Egypt.
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Mohamed Adel
Biotechnology Program, Basic and Applied Sciences (BAS) Institute, Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology (E-JUST), New Borg El-Arab city, Alexandria, Egypt and Department of Botany and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Helwan University, Cairo, 11790, Egypt.
Keywords:
SARS-CoV-2, medicinal plants, natural extracts, flavonoids, alkaloids, antiviral
Abstract
Currently, the human being faces a contagious virus called SARS-CoV-2 with a high transmission ability, infection, and a relatively high mortality rate, especially for the elderly. General symptoms of the disease involve fever, sore throat, pneumonia, cough, headache, diarrhea, muscle pain, shortness of breath, renal failure, and even death. All research interest is directed to finding a drug or vaccine to save millions of people’s lives; some have succeeded and applied now in some countries. Medicinal plants represent a green treasure that renders plentiful primary and secondary metabolites characterized by potent biological activities. Interestingly, the secondary metabolites, alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, and terpenoids, own a broad antiviral history. The plant antiviral capabilities may be due to inhibition of viral attachment to/penetration of the host cell; inhibition of the virus replication; suppressing RNA replication; down regulation of viral proteins translation; interfering with virus non-structural/structural protein; down regulation of virus-induced pro-inflammatory/inflammatory signaling pathways in the host cell, and antioxidant activity thus abating the virus-induced oxidative stress effect. Presently, as we are trapped with a surly virus, there are attempts to exploit the power of nature. Therefore, the main objective of this review is to refer to some medicinal plants or their derivatives that limit the virus’s virulence or alleviate the symptoms associated with this virus.
