Promising Effects of Traditional Chinese Medicines and Isolated Compounds Against SARS-CoV-2

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) was used effectively to treat previous coronavirus outbreaks with minimal side-effects and several TCMs have been highlighted as potential treatments for COVID-19. In particular, Glycyrrhiza glabra L. has been highlighted as useful for decreasing the disease severity in infected people.1 A recent study published in Pharmacognosy Journal utilised in silico prediction based on crystal structures and molecular docking techniques to highlight other promising phytochemicals.2 More than 12,000 compounds were highlighted as potential Mpro inhibitors, with the most promising being Aster pentapeptide A, salvianolic acid B, and ligustrazine. The plant species Zingiberis rhizoma, Asteris radix, Notoginseng radix, Ligusticum chuanxiong, Salviae miltiorrhizae, Zingiberis rhizoma, Dianthi herba, and Cistanches herba were also considered promising. Additionally, gingerketophenol, ginkgol alcohol and ferulic acid were identified as promising ACE2 inhibitors. The plant species Codonopsis radix, Notopterygii rhizoma, Zingiberis rhizoma, Ginkgo semen, Chuanxiong rhizoma, Trichosanthis fructus, Paeoniae radix, Psoraleae fructus, Sophorae flavescentis, Notoginseng radix and Angelicae sinensis also showed good ACE2 inhibitory activity. However, the authors cautioned against indiscriminant usage of any of these medicines as they may have significant toxic effects at therapeutic concentrations. However, the study is useful as it predicted 106 compounds from TCMs that have potential in the treatment of COVID-19.