Antiviral, immunomodulatory, and anticoagulant effects of quercetin and its derivatives: Potential role in prevention and management of COVID-19

Abstract

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has caused a devastating health crisis worldwide. In this review, we have discussed that prophylactic phytochemical quercetin supplementation in the form of foods or nutraceuticals may help manage the COVID-19 pandemic. The following evidence supports our argument: first, nuclear factor erythroid-derived 2-like 2 (NRF2) agonists abrogated replication of SARS-CoV-2 in lung cells, and quercetin is a potent NRF2 agonist; second, quercetin exerts antiviral activity against several zoonotic coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2, mainly by inhibiting the entry of virions into host cells; third, inflammatory pathways activated by nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), inflammasome, and interleukin-6 (IL-6) signals elicit cytokine release syndrome that promotes acute respiratory distress syndrome in patients with COVID-19, and quercetin inhibits these pro-inflammatory signals; fourth, patients with COVID-19 develop thrombosis, and quercetin mitigates coagulation abnormalities by inhibiting plasma protein disulfide isomerase. This review provides a strong rationale for testing quercetin for the management of COVID-19.

The Genus Alternanthera: Phytochemical and Ethnopharmacological Perspectives

“…ex DC. Phytomolecules like Vitexin and vitexin analogs ( Rosa et al, 2016 ), Kaempferol and kaempferol analogs ( Lin et al, 2011 ; Swarnalatha et al, 2015 ), Quercetin-3-methyl ether ( Martino et al, 2016 ), Quercetin and quercetin analogs ( Manjunath and Thimmulappa, 2021 ), Acacetin analogs ( Zhao et al, 2014 ), Stigmasterol ( Antwi et al, 2017b ), β-Sitosterol ( Desai et al, 2009 ), Ellagic acid ( Abuelsaad et al, 2013 ), Ferulic acid ( He F. et al, 2021 ), p-Coumaric acid ( Pragasam et al, 2012 ), Chlorogenic acid ( Guo et al, 2021 ), and β-Carotene ( Jyonouchi et al, 2009 ) which were previously been reported from Alternanthera sessilis (L.) R.Br. ex DC., may be responsible for this immunomodulatory potential.…”

“…( Moraes et al, 1994 ). Phytomolecules like Vitexin and vitexin analogs ( Rosa et al, 2016 ), Kaempferol and kaempferol analogs ( Lin et al, 2011 ; Swarnalatha et al, 2015 ), Quercetin and quercetin analogs ( Manjunath and Thimmulappa, 2021 ), Tricin ( Santos et al, 2017 ), Stigmasterol ( Antwi et al, 2017b ), β-Sitosterol ( Desai et al, 2009 ), Ferulic acid ( He F. et al, 2021 ), p-Coumaric acid ( Pragasam et al, 2012 ), and Chlorogenic acid ( Guo et al, 2021 ) which were previously reported from Alternanthera brasiliana (L.) Kuntze, may be responsible towards its immunomodulatory activity. Phytomolecules like Vitexin and vitexin analogs ( Rosa et al, 2016 ), Kaempferol ( Lin et al, 2011 ; Swarnalatha et al, 2015 ), Quercetin-3-methyl ether ( Martino et al, 2016 ), Quercetin and quercetin analogs ( Manjunath and Thimmulappa, 2021 ), Acacetin analogs ( Zhao et al, 2014 ), Stigmasterol ( Antwi et al, 2017b ), and Hydroxytyrosol ( Shan and Miao, 2022 ) which were previously reported from Alternanthera littoralis P.Beauv., may be responsible for its immunomodulatory activity.…”

Molecular docking and machine learning affinity prediction of compounds identified upon softwood bark extraction to the main protease of the SARS-CoV-2 virus

“…It was suggested that it can act as an inhibitor of the ACE2 receptor and prevent the spike glycoprotein:ACE2 complex formation and hence the entry of the virion into host cells [ 48 ]. Quercetin can protect against SARS-CoV-2 infection by impeding virion entry into host cells by modifying spike glycoprotein and/or ACE2, or repressing replication inside the cells by inhibiting 3CL pro [ [49] , [50] , [51] ]. Based on the results of a randomized controlled study presented by Shohan et al [ 52 ], it can be stated that quercetin may be therapeutically effective in reducing the time to clinical improvement in combination with antiviral drugs.…”

A review of natural foods consumed during the COVID-19 pandemic life

“…Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Curcumin, Selenium [37,106,108,109] Antiviral Selenium, Curcumin, Quercetin, Riboflavin, Vitamin C, Green Tea, Propolis, Resveratrol, Zinc [99,100,103,109,110,111,112,113] Immune response Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin B12, Folate, Pyridoxine, Zinc, Nicotinamide, Selenium [38,109,113] Interferon production Vitamin C [111] Virus-ACE2 interaction reduction Quercetin, Curcumin [11]…”