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Antiviral Properties of Natural Products

A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Natural Products Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2021) | Viewed by 57051

Special Issue Editor

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The current outbreak of the new coronavirus (2019-nCoV) and the difficulties that are being encountered in (i) fighting global viral spread and (ii) taking care of infected-patients are proof of our “febrility” in facing emerging or re-emerging viral infections [1,2]. This is supported by numerous examples over the past 10–20 years including other forms of Coronavirus (SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, 2019-nCoV), Zika virus, Chikungunya virus, Dengue virus, and Ebola virus.

Indeed, apart from HIV, Hepacivirus C (i.e., HCV) and few other (very rare) viruses, our therapeutic arsenal to fight against viral infections remains limited, and there are very few new antiviral molecules on the market.

The aim of this Special Issue of Molecules is to highlight recent advances in the research on natural products with antiviral properties. Authors are invited to submit original research articles and reviews on the antiviral properties of extracts, fractions, purified compounds, and synergistic mixtures against viruses encountered in human (or animal) infectious diseases. Such knowledge may aid in the identification of promising natural compounds which could allow us to respond to the urgent need to discover new antivirals.

  1. ECDC. https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/novel-coronavirus-china
  2. WHO. https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus

Prof. Dr. Raphaël E. Duval
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Molecules is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • human viruses
  • animal viruses
  • natural products
  • antivirals

Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

Jump to: Review

16 pages, 1541 KiB  
Article
Anti-Influenza with Green Tea Catechins: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
by Anchalee Rawangkan, Kirati Kengkla, Sukrit Kanchanasurakit, Acharaporn Duangjai and Surasak Saokaew
Molecules 2021, 26(13), 4014; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules26134014 - 30 Jun 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 4563
Abstract
Influenza is one of the most serious respiratory viral infections worldwide. Although several studies have reported that green tea catechins (GTCs) might prevent influenza virus infection, this remains controversial. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of eight studies with 5048 participants that [...] Read more.
Influenza is one of the most serious respiratory viral infections worldwide. Although several studies have reported that green tea catechins (GTCs) might prevent influenza virus infection, this remains controversial. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of eight studies with 5048 participants that examined the effect of GTC administration on influenza prevention. In a random-effects meta-analysis of five RCTs, 884 participants treated with GTCs showed statistically significant effects on the prevention of influenza infection compared to the control group (risk ratio (RR) 0.67, 95% CIs 0.51–0.89, p = 0.005) without evidence of heterogeneity (I2 = 0%, p = 0.629). Similarly, in three cohort studies with 2223 participants treated with GTCs, there were also statistically significant effects (RR 0.52, 95% CIs 0.35–0.77, p = 0.001) with very low evidence of heterogeneity (I2 = 3%, p = 0.358). Additionally, the overall effect in the subgroup analysis of gargling and orally ingested items (taking capsules and drinking) showed a pooled RR of 0.62 (95% CIs 0.49–0.77, p = 0.003) without heterogeneity (I2 = 0%, p = 0.554). There were no obvious publication biases (Egger’s test (p = 0.138) and Begg’s test (p = 0.103)). Our analysis suggests that green tea consumption is effective in the prophylaxis of influenza infections. To confirm the findings before implementation, longitudinal clinical trials with specific doses of green tea consumption are warranted. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antiviral Properties of Natural Products)
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15 pages, 2891 KiB  
Article
Cordycepin Inhibits Virus Replication in Dengue Virus-Infected Vero Cells
by Aussara Panya, Pucharee Songprakhon, Suthida Panwong, Kanyaluck Jantakee, Thida Kaewkod, Yingmanee Tragoolpua, Nunghathai Sawasdee, Vannajan Sanghiran Lee, Piyarat Nimmanpipug and Pa-thai Yenchitsomanus
Molecules 2021, 26(11), 3118; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules26113118 - 23 May 2021
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 3723
Abstract
Dengue virus (DENV) infection causes mild to severe illness in humans that can lead to fatality in severe cases. Currently, no specific drug is available for the treatment of DENV infection. Thus, the development of an anti-DENV drug is urgently required. Cordycepin (3′-deoxyadenosine), [...] Read more.
Dengue virus (DENV) infection causes mild to severe illness in humans that can lead to fatality in severe cases. Currently, no specific drug is available for the treatment of DENV infection. Thus, the development of an anti-DENV drug is urgently required. Cordycepin (3′-deoxyadenosine), which is a major bioactive compound in Cordyceps (ascomycete) fungus that has been used for centuries in Chinese traditional medicine, was reported to exhibit antiviral activity. However, the anti-DENV activity of cordycepin is unknown. We hypothesized that cordycepin exerts anti-DENV activity and that, as an adenosine derivative, it inhibits DENV replication. To test this hypothesis, we investigated the anti-DENV activity of cordycepin in DENV-infected Vero cells. Cordycepin treatment significantly decreased DENV protein at a half-maximal effective concentration (EC50) of 26.94 μM. Moreover, DENV RNA was dramatically decreased in cordycepin-treated Vero cells, indicating its effectiveness in inhibiting viral RNA replication. Via in silico molecular docking, the binding of cordycepin to DENV non-structural protein 5 (NS5), which is an important enzyme for RNA synthesis, at both the methyltransferase (MTase) and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) domains, was predicted. The results of this study demonstrate that cordycepin is able to inhibit DENV replication, which portends its potential as an anti-dengue therapy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antiviral Properties of Natural Products)
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8 pages, 831 KiB  
Article
Chemical Constituents of Cassia abbreviata and Their Anti-HIV-1 Activity
by Xianwen Yang, Zhihui He, Yue Zheng, Ning Wang, Martin Mulinge, Jean-Claude Schmit, André Steinmetz and Carole Seguin-Devaux
Molecules 2021, 26(9), 2455; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules26092455 - 23 Apr 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2613
Abstract
Three new (13) and 25 known compounds were isolated from the crude extract of Cassia abbreviata. The chemical structures of new compounds were established by extensive spectroscopic analyses including 1D and 2D NMR and HRESIMS. Cassiabrevone (1 [...] Read more.
Three new (13) and 25 known compounds were isolated from the crude extract of Cassia abbreviata. The chemical structures of new compounds were established by extensive spectroscopic analyses including 1D and 2D NMR and HRESIMS. Cassiabrevone (1) is the first heterodimer of guibourtinidol and planchol A. Compound 2 was a new chalcane, while 3 was a new naphthalene. Cassiabrevone (1), guibourtinidol-(4α→8)-epiafzelechin (4), taxifolin (8), oleanolic acid (17), piceatannol (22), and palmitic acid (28), exhibited potent anti-HIV-1 activity with IC50 values of 11.89 µM, 15.39 µM, 49.04 µM, 7.95 µM, 3.58 µM, and 15.97 µM, respectively. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antiviral Properties of Natural Products)
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11 pages, 6664 KiB  
Article
Antiviral Activities of Quercetin and Isoquercitrin Against Human Herpesviruses
by Chae Hyun Kim, Jung-Eun Kim and Yoon-Jae Song
Molecules 2020, 25(10), 2379; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules25102379 - 20 May 2020
Cited by 53 | Viewed by 5062
Abstract
We previously reported that the ethyl acetate (EtOAc) fraction of a 70% ethanol extract of Elaeocarpus sylvestris (ESE) inhibits varicella-zoster virus (VZV) and human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) replication in vitro. PGG (1,2,3,4,6-penta-O-galloyl-ß-D-glucose) is a major chemical constituent of the EtOAc fraction of ESE that [...] Read more.
We previously reported that the ethyl acetate (EtOAc) fraction of a 70% ethanol extract of Elaeocarpus sylvestris (ESE) inhibits varicella-zoster virus (VZV) and human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) replication in vitro. PGG (1,2,3,4,6-penta-O-galloyl-ß-D-glucose) is a major chemical constituent of the EtOAc fraction of ESE that inhibits VZV but not HCMV replication. In this study, we comprehensively screened the chemical compounds identified in the EtOAc fraction of ESE for potential antiviral properties. Among the examined compounds, quercetin and isoquercitrin displayed potent antiviral activities against both VZV and HCMV with no significant cytotoxic effects. Both compounds strongly suppressed the expression of VZV and HCMV immediate–early (IE) genes. Our collective results indicated that, in addition to PGG, quercetin and isoquercitrin are bioactive compounds in the EtOAc fraction of ESE that effectively inhibit human herpesvirus replication. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antiviral Properties of Natural Products)
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12 pages, 2573 KiB  
Article
Nuphar lutea Extracts Exhibit Anti-Viral Activity against the Measles Virus
by Hila Winer, Janet Ozer, Yonat Shemer, Irit Reichenstein, Brit Eilam-Frenkel, Daniel Benharroch, Avi Golan-Goldhirsh and Jacob Gopas
Molecules 2020, 25(7), 1657; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules25071657 - 03 Apr 2020
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2774
Abstract
Different parts of Nuphar lutea L. (yellow water lily) have been used to treat several inflammatory and pathogen-related diseases. It has shown that Nuphar lutea extracts (NUP) are active against various pathogens including bacteria, fungi, and leishmanial parasites. In an effort to [...] Read more.
Different parts of Nuphar lutea L. (yellow water lily) have been used to treat several inflammatory and pathogen-related diseases. It has shown that Nuphar lutea extracts (NUP) are active against various pathogens including bacteria, fungi, and leishmanial parasites. In an effort to detect novel therapeutic agents against negative-stranded RNA (- RNA) viruses, we have tested the effect of a partially-purified alkaloid mixture of Nuphar lutea leaves on the measles virus (MV). The MV vaccine’s Edmonston strain was used to acutely or persistently infect cells. The levels of several MV proteins were detected by a Western blot and immunocytochemistry. Viral RNAs were quantitated by qRT-PCR. Virus infectivity was monitored by infecting African green monkey kidney VERO cells’ monolayers. We showed that NUP protected cells from acute infection. Decreases in the MV P-, N-, and V-proteins were observed in persistently infected cells and the amount of infective virus released was reduced as compared to untreated cells. By examining viral RNAs, we suggest that NUP acts at the post-transcriptional level. We conclude, as a proof of concept, that NUP has anti-viral therapeutic activity against the MV. Future studies will determine the mechanism of action and the effect of NUP on other related viruses. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antiviral Properties of Natural Products)
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Review

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20 pages, 2102 KiB  
Review
Plants and Natural Products with Activity against Various Types of Coronaviruses: A Review with Focus on SARS-CoV-2
by Susana A. Llivisaca-Contreras, Jaime Naranjo-Morán, Andrea Pino-Acosta, Luc Pieters, Wim Vanden Berghe, Patricia Manzano, Jeffrey Vargas-Pérez, Fabian León-Tamariz and Juan M. Cevallos-Cevallos
Molecules 2021, 26(13), 4099; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules26134099 - 05 Jul 2021
Cited by 23 | Viewed by 7135
Abstract
COVID-19 is a pandemic disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which is potentially fatal for vulnerable individuals. Disease management represents a challenge for many countries, given the shortage of medicines and hospital resources. The objective of this work was to review the medicinal [...] Read more.
COVID-19 is a pandemic disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which is potentially fatal for vulnerable individuals. Disease management represents a challenge for many countries, given the shortage of medicines and hospital resources. The objective of this work was to review the medicinal plants, foods and natural products showing scientific evidence for host protection against various types of coronaviruses, with a focus on SARS-CoV-2. Natural products that mitigate the symptoms caused by various coronaviruses are also presented. Particular attention was placed on natural products that stabilize the Renin–Angiotensin–Aldosterone System (RAAS), which has been associated with the entry of the SARS-CoV-2 into human cells. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antiviral Properties of Natural Products)
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19 pages, 490 KiB  
Review
COVID-19 Prophylaxis Efforts Based on Natural Antiviral Plant Extracts and Their Compounds
by Oksana Sytar, Marian Brestic, Shokoofeh Hajihashemi, Milan Skalicky, Jan Kubeš, Laura Lamilla-Tamayo, Ulkar Ibrahimova, Sayyara Ibadullayeva and Marco Landi
Molecules 2021, 26(3), 727; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules26030727 - 30 Jan 2021
Cited by 44 | Viewed by 9357
Abstract
During the time of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, it has been crucial to search for novel antiviral drugs from plants and well as other natural sources as alternatives for prophylaxis. This work reviews the antiviral potential of plant extracts, and [...] Read more.
During the time of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, it has been crucial to search for novel antiviral drugs from plants and well as other natural sources as alternatives for prophylaxis. This work reviews the antiviral potential of plant extracts, and the results of previous research for the treatment and prophylaxis of coronavirus disease and previous kinds of representative coronaviruses group. Detailed descriptions of medicinal herbs and crops based on their origin native area, plant parts used, and their antiviral potentials have been conducted. The possible role of plant-derived natural antiviral compounds for the development of plant-based drugs against coronavirus has been described. To identify useful scientific trends, VOSviewer visualization of presented scientific data analysis was used. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antiviral Properties of Natural Products)
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35 pages, 3800 KiB  
Review
Bioactive Natural Antivirals: An Updated Review of the Available Plants and Isolated Molecules
by Syam Mohan, Manal Mohamed Elhassan Taha, Hafiz A. Makeen, Hassan A. Alhazmi, Mohammed Al Bratty, Shahnaz Sultana, Waquar Ahsan, Asim Najmi and Asaad Khalid
Molecules 2020, 25(21), 4878; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules25214878 - 22 Oct 2020
Cited by 36 | Viewed by 6740
Abstract
Viral infections and associated diseases are responsible for a substantial number of mortality and public health problems around the world. Each year, infectious diseases kill 3.5 million people worldwide. The current pandemic caused by COVID-19 has become the greatest health hazard to people [...] Read more.
Viral infections and associated diseases are responsible for a substantial number of mortality and public health problems around the world. Each year, infectious diseases kill 3.5 million people worldwide. The current pandemic caused by COVID-19 has become the greatest health hazard to people in their lifetime. There are many antiviral drugs and vaccines available against viruses, but they have many disadvantages, too. There are numerous side effects for conventional drugs, and active mutation also creates drug resistance against various viruses. This has led scientists to search herbs as a source for the discovery of more efficient new antivirals. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 65% of the world population is in the practice of using plants and herbs as part of treatment modality. Additionally, plants have an advantage in drug discovery based on their long-term use by humans, and a reduced toxicity and abundance of bioactive compounds can be expected as a result. In this review, we have highlighted the important viruses, their drug targets, and their replication cycle. We provide in-depth and insightful information about the most favorable plant extracts and their derived phytochemicals against viral targets. Our major conclusion is that plant extracts and their isolated pure compounds are essential sources for the current viral infections and useful for future challenges. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antiviral Properties of Natural Products)
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21 pages, 5082 KiB  
Review
Natural Bioactive Compounds from Fungi as Potential Candidates for Protease Inhibitors and Immunomodulators to Apply for Coronaviruses
by Nakarin Suwannarach, Jaturong Kumla, Kanaporn Sujarit, Thanawat Pattananandecha, Chalermpong Saenjum and Saisamorn Lumyong
Molecules 2020, 25(8), 1800; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/molecules25081800 - 14 Apr 2020
Cited by 58 | Viewed by 12877
Abstract
The inhibition of viral protease is an important target in antiviral drug discovery and development. To date, protease inhibitor drugs, especially HIV-1 protease inhibitors, have been available for human clinical use in the treatment of coronaviruses. However, these drugs can have adverse side [...] Read more.
The inhibition of viral protease is an important target in antiviral drug discovery and development. To date, protease inhibitor drugs, especially HIV-1 protease inhibitors, have been available for human clinical use in the treatment of coronaviruses. However, these drugs can have adverse side effects and they can become ineffective due to eventual drug resistance. Thus, the search for natural bioactive compounds that were obtained from bio-resources that exert inhibitory capabilities against HIV-1 protease activity is of great interest. Fungi are a source of natural bioactive compounds that offer therapeutic potential in the prevention of viral diseases and for the improvement of human immunomodulation. Here, we made a brief review of the current findings on fungi as producers of protease inhibitors and studies on the relevant candidate fungal bioactive compounds that can offer immunomodulatory activities as potential therapeutic agents of coronaviruses in the future. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antiviral Properties of Natural Products)
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