Antiviral Natural Products and Herbal Medicines

Abstract

Viral infections play an important role in human diseases, and recent outbreaks in the advent of globalization and ease of travel have underscored their prevention as a critical issue in safeguarding public health. Despite the progress made in immunization and drug development, many viruses lack preventive vaccines and efficient antiviral therapies, which are often beset by the generation of viral escape mutants. Thus, identifying novel antiviral drugs is of critical importance and natural products are an excellent source for such discoveries. In this mini-review, we summarize the antiviral effects reported for several natural products and herbal medicines.

Breaking Down the Barriers to a Natural Antiviral Agent: Antiviral Activity and Molecular Docking of Erythrina speciosa Extract, Fractions, and the Major Compound

“…Treating viral infections is usually a challenging task because viruses are capable of continuous evolution producing drug‐resistant mutants which renders antiviral drugs as ineffective. Although there are recent significant advances in immunization and drug discovery of antiviral drugs, many viruses still lack effective vaccines and antiviral remedies . Thus, the discovery of novel antivirals drugs with high efficacy is highly recommended …”

“…Although there are recent significant advances in immunization and drug discovery of antiviral drugs, many viruses still lack effective vaccines and antiviral remedies . Thus, the discovery of novel antivirals drugs with high efficacy is highly recommended …”

“…Human beings used a decoction of natural products to treat all types of bacterial and viral infections. Poultices and topical preparations were used for cutaneous conditions caused by bacteria, viruses, and fungi . Genus Erythrina belongs to family Fabaceae and comprises over 130 species of orange and/or red‐flowered trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants.…”

Phytochemical Analysis, Quantitative Estimations of Total Phenols and Free Radical Scavenging Activity of Bupleurum subovatum from Jerusalem

“…These ingredients are triterpenoid sapogenin (saikosaponins), 20,21 volatile oils (germacrene D, pinene, heptanal, spathulenol, undecane), 22,23 complex polysaccharides, 24 caffeic acid derivatives, 25 flavonoids, 26 and lignans 14 . The physiobiological activity of these compounds include antiviral, 27 immune-modulator, 28 anti-ulcer 29 and antiinflammatory activities 30 and antiproliferative activity. 31 Saikosaponins-D and saikosaponons-A in particular and other saikosaponins saponins have been proved to have many pharmacological effects including hepatoprotective, 14 anthelmintic, 32 anti-inflammatory, 33 and analgesic activities.…”

Inhibitory Potential of Terminalia chebula by Hydrogen Peroxide Induced Oxidative Stress in THP-1 Cell Line

“…Therefore herbal medicines are preferred over synthetic ones due to their natural occurrence, presumed safety, nutritional and therapeutic potential. Several herbal medicines as well as purified natural products provide a rich resource for development of many novel drugs (Lin et al, 2014). One among the traditional folk medicines Terminalia chebula, belonging to the family Combretaceae has been used extensively in traditional as well as the modern practice against diabetes, cancer and bacterial infections (Lee et al, 2015).…”