The Effect of Plant Metabolites on Coronaviruses: A Comprehensive Review Focusing on their IC50 Values and Molecular Docking Scores

Abstract

: Coronaviruses have caused worldwide outbreaks in different periods. SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome), was the first emerged virus from this family, followed by MERS (Middle East respiratory syndrome) and SARS-CoV-2 (2019-nCoV or COVID 19), which is newly emerged. Many studies have been conducted on the application of chemical and natural drugs for treating these coronaviruses and they are mostly focused on inhibiting the proteases of viruses or blocking their protein receptors through binding to amino acid residues. Among many substances which are introduced to have an inhibitory effect against coronaviruses through the mentioned pathways, natural components are of specific interest. Secondary and primary metabolites from plants, are considered as potential drugs to have an inhibitory effect on coronaviruses. IC50 value (the concentration in which there is 50% loss in enzyme activity), molecular docking score and binding energy are parameters to understand the ability of metabolites to inhibit the specific virus. In this study we did a review of 154 papers on the effect of plant metabolites on different coronaviruses and data of their IC50 values, molecular docking scores and inhibition percentages are collected in tables. Secondary plant metabolites such as polyphenol, alkaloids, terpenoids, organosulfur compounds, saponins and saikosaponins, lectins, essential oil, and nicotianamine, and primary metabolites such as vitamins are included in this study.

Could Selenium Supplementation Prevent COVID-19? A Comprehensive Review of Available Studies

“…In fact, among the 211 reviews here found ( Figure 1 ), 85 cite one or more of Beck’s articles. Notably, one earlier recapitulative publication from Beck’s group [ 72 ] has been cited in 15 reviews or books since the beginning of the pandemic [ 78 , 79 , 80 , 81 , 82 , 83 , 84 , 85 , 86 , 87 , 88 , 89 , 90 , 91 , 92 ], including a widely read one [ 78 ] that is itself cited by 790 articles, based on Scopus.com. Unfortunately, this recapitulative paper contains inconclusive and contradictory results, and was indeed subsequently revised by the same group.…”

Indian medicinal plants are effective in the treatment and management of COVID-19

“…The IC50 value (the concentration at which 50% of enzyme activity is lost), molecular docking score, and binding energy are all parameters used to determine a metabolite's ability to inhibit a specific virus. Polyphenols, alkaloids, terpenoids, organosulfur compounds, saponins, essential oil, saikosaponins, lectins, nicotianamine, etc., are examples of secondary plant metabolites (Farshi et al, 2022). Usual compounds derived from tulsi and neem possess more binding efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 targets tangled in viral attachment and replication for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infections (Shrestha et al, 2022).…”

The potential of five wild growing aromatic plants from Hemaq Beniung Customary Forest on antidiabetic activity

“…The extracts with IC50 values between 0.01 and 0.05 mg/mL and 0.5 to 0.1 mg/mL are considered to have strong and intermediate antioxidant activity, respectively. Antioxidant activity is considered low in extracts with an IC50 value of 0.1 mg/mL or higher (Farshi et al 2022). As shown in Table 4, showed that the extract of P. porphyrophyllum (EtOH), B. balsamifera (EtOAc and EtOH), and N. acuminatissima (EtOH) have strong antioxidant activity according to the categories above.…”