Can Baicalein Become a New Drug for Covid-19?

Abstract

The ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has become a global health crisis. Flavon baicalein, a major bioactive molecule of Scutellaria baicalensis, inhibits the replication of SARS-CoV-2 which causes severe acute respiratory syndrome in humans. Animal experiments show that baicalein has the character of a broad-spectrum coronavirus drug. It is non-toxic and can inhibit SARS-CoV-2-induced damage. Baicalein may therefore be a promising therapeutic drug for the treatment of COVID-19.

An anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic proprietary Chinese medicine nasal spray designated as Allergic Rhinitis Nose Drops (ARND) with potential to prevent SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus infection by targeting RBD (Delta)- angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) binding

“…Quercetin inhibited 3CLpro, papain-like protease (PLpro), and SARS-CoV-2 replication, and manifested anti-inflammatory and thrombin-inhibitory activities [ 68 ]. Baicalein and the ethanolic extract of drug 4 suppressed SARS-CoV-2 replication [ 69 ] in Vero cells with an EC 50 value of 2.9 µM and 0.74 µg/ml, respectively and SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro with an IC 50 value of 0.39 µM and 8.52 µg/ml, respectively [ 62 ]. Baicalein also demonstrated high affinity binding to transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2), another key player in cellular entry by the SARS-CoV viruses with Asp-345, His-296 and Ser-441 in the active binding site [ 70 ].…”

Why You’ve Never Heard of the Mint Versus COVID Hypothesis: A Philosophical Perspective

“…A more recent version of the preprint suggests that the active antiviral compounds may include caffeic acid, perilla aldehyde, and perillyl alcohol, which may exert anti-SARS-CoV-2 effects through induction of heme oxygenase 1 expression. Baicalein, which is found in the mint family herb Baikal skullcap (Scutellaria baicalensis), has also been shown to have antiviral effects against SARS-CoV-2 in a mouse challenge model (Huang et al, 2020;Patocka et al, 2021;Song et al, 2021). Interestingly, the antiviral potency of plants tested by Jan and colleagues appears to roughly match each plant's caffeic acid content (Birková, 2020).…”

The mint versus Covid hypothesis

“…Baicalein, which is found in skullcap roots (genus Scutellaria) and in thyme leaves (Thymus vulgaris) [60], shows antiviral effects against SARS-CoV-2 in a mouse challenge model [61][62][63][64]. An RCT of Shuang Huang Lian Wan, a traditional Chinese patent medicine that contains skullcap root and bohe mint, found that subjects who received the highest dose showed significantly reduced signs of Covid pneumonia [65].…”