Coronavirus management and control: Nutrition and alternative medicines
Smita Guha1, Ashok Chakraborty2
1St. John's University, Queens, NY, USA.
Insights
Traditional Indian and Chinese herbal medicines offer potential antiviral compounds for treating COVID-19. Further research into ethnobotany and phytochemistry is crucial for pandemic preparedness.
Area of Science:
- Ethnomedicine
- Phytochemistry
- Traditional Medicine
Background:
- The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by SARS-CoV-2, rapidly spread globally in late 2019.
- Despite ongoing vaccine development, effective treatments for COVID-19 remain a critical need.
- The virus originated in Wuhan, China, leading to widespread infections and fatalities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore alternative antiviral components from traditional herbal medicine sources in India and China.
- To identify potential therapeutic agents for COVID-19 based on historical medicinal practices.
- To review existing literature on ethnobotanical and Ayurvedic remedies for viral infections.
Main Methods:
- Conducted a literature search for known antiviral herbal products and Ayurvedic medicines.
- Examined traditional remedies previously used against viral or bacterial infections.
- Focused on plant-derived compounds with potential application against SARS-CoV-2.
Main Results:
- Numerous medicinal compounds have been successfully extracted from plants, leading to drug discoveries.
- Plant-derived products and their analogues show promise as an initial defense against COVID-19.
- Traditional herbal medicine offers a rich source of potential antiviral agents.
Conclusions:
- Ethnobotanical research, phytochemistry, and plant physiology are vital for pandemic defense.
- Investigating traditional medicine can provide valuable insights for developing new antiviral therapies.
- Continued research is essential for protecting populations from current and future pandemics.
Abstract:
Background: In late December 2019, the outbreak of COVID-19 caused by the coronavirus severe acute respiratory syndrome-CoV-2, originated in Wuhan Province, the People's Republic of China (PRC). The rapid and highly infectious virus quickly spread around the country and has become a global pandemic. Thousands of people have been infected, and have died. Scientists around the world are working on the vaccine; however, an effective cure is yet to be developed. Aims: Search to be made on some alternative antiviral components from the rich sources of traditional herbal medicine in India as well as in the PRC. Here we discuss them with references. Methods: The knowledge gained from the literature search of antiviral known herbal products or Ayurvedic medicines that used to be applied against any viral or bacterial infections in the past, may be considered for deployment against COVID-19, and may be rewarded. Results: Many medicinal compounds are extracted from plants and have led to drug discovery. Similarly, plant products and their analogues have been employed as an early line of defense against COVID-19. Conclusion: Research into ethnobotany, phytochemistry, plant physiology and ecology may be important in protecting the global population from current and future pandemics.
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