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. 2021 Jan 11;11:589044. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2020.589044

TABLE 1.

In vitro antiviral activity of various herbal extracts against coronavirus infection.

No. Herbs Extract/Compound Coronavirus type CC50 (conc.) or cell survivability (%) IC50 SI References
1. Acanthopanax gracilistylus W.W.Sm. Methanol extract MHV-A59 170.0 ± 6.4 μg/ml 0.9 ± 0.1 μg/ml 188.9 Kim et al. (2010)
2. Artemisia annua L. Ethanol extract SARS-CoV BJ-001 1,053.0 ± 92.8 μg/ml 34.5 ± 2.6 μg/ml 31 Li et al. (2005)
SARS-CoV BJ-006 1,053.0 ± 92.8 μg/ml 39.2 ± 4.1 μg/ml 27
3. Cimicifuga racemose (L.) Nutt. Methanol extract MHV-A59 239.0 ± 44.4 μg/ml 19.4 ± 7.0 μg/ml 12.3 Kim et al. (2008)
4. Cinnamomum verum J.Presl (cortex) Butanol extract wtSARS-CoV 180.0 ± 6.0 μg/ml 7.8 ± 0.3 μg/ml 23.1 Zhuang et al. (2009)
HIV/SARS-CoV 444.0 ± 13.7 μg/ml 85.3 ± 7.5 μg/ml 5.2
Procyanidin A2 wtSARS-CoV 1,116.7 ± 60.3 µM 29.9 ± 3.3 µM 37.35
HIV/SARS-CoV 796.6 ± 63.7 µM 120.7 ± 13.1 µM 4.08
Procyanidin B1 wtSARS-CoV 648.2 ± 43.4 µM 41.3 ± 3.4 µM 15.69
HIV/SARS-CoV 656.2 ± 36.7 µM 161.1 ± 20.3 µM 4.08
Cinnamtannin B1 wtSARS-CoV 184.7 ± 15.5 µM 32.9 ± 3.9 µM 5.61
HIV/SARS-CoV 242.3 ± 14.8 µM 32.9 ± 2.8 µM 7.36
5. Coptis chinensis Franch. Methanol extract MHV-A59 71.3 ± 7.2 μg/ml 2.0 ± 0.5 μg/ml 34.9 Kim et al. (2008)
6. Epimedium koreanum Nakai Water extract PEDV, SM98, TGE ND >90% at 1.5 mg/ml ND Cho et al. (2012)
7. Euphorbia neriifolia L. 3β-friedelanol HCoV NC 132.4% at 5 μg/ml NC Chang et al. (2012)
3β-acetoxy friedelane HCoV NC 80.9% at 5 μg/ml NC
Friedelin HCoV NC 109.0% at 5 μg/ml NC
Epitaraxerol HCoV NC 111.0% at 5 μg/ml NC
8. Forsythia suspensa (Thunb.) Vahl Forsythoside A IBV <1.28 mM 0.64 mM ND Li et al. (2011)
9. Glycyrrhiza glabra L. Glycyrrhizin SARS-CoV >20,000 mg/ml 300 mg/ml >67 Cinatl et al. (2003), Hoever et al. (2005), Hoever et al. (2005)
Glycyrrhizin SARS-CoV >24,000 μM 365 ± 12 μM >65
Glycyrrhetinic acid SARS-CoV >20 μM 20 ± 5 μM NC
Derivative GL 1 SARS-CoV >3,000 μM 40 ± 13 μM >75
Derivative GL 2 SARS-CoV 1,462 ± 50 μM 35 ± 7 μM 41
Derivative GL 3 SARS-CoV 215 ± 18 μM 139 ± 20 μM 2
Derivative GL 9 SARS-CoV 44 ± 6 μM 8 ± 2 μM 6
Derivative GL 10 SARS-CoV 250 ± 19 μM 50 ± 10 μM 5
Derivative GL 11 SARS-CoV 15 ± 3 μM 5 ± 3 μM 3
Derivative GL 12 SARS-CoV 66 ± 8 μM 16 ± 1 μM 4
10. Houttuynia cordata Thunb. Water extract IBV 250 mg/ml 62.5 mg/ml 4 Yin et al. (2011)
Water extract SARS-CoV NC 1,000 μg/ml NC Lau et al. (2008)
Water extract SARS-CoV NC 50, 100, 200, 400 and 800 μg/ml NC Lau et al. (2008)
Ethyl acetate MHV >3.91 μg/ml 0.98 μg/ml >4.00 Chiow et al. (2016)
Quercetin MHV 116.52 μg/ml 125 μg/ml 0.93 Chiow et al. (2016)
11. Isatis indigotica Fortune ex Lindl. Water extract SARS-CoV >5,000 μg/ml 191.6 ± 8.2 μg/ml >26 Lin et al. (2005)
Indigo SARS-CoV 7,375 μM 752 μM 9.8
Sinigrin SARS-CoV >10,000 μM 217 μM >46
Beta-sitosterol SARS-CoV 1,475 μM 1,210 μM 1.21
Aloe emodin SARS-CoV 11,592 μM 366 μM 31.67
Hesperetin SARS-CoV 2,718 μM 8.3 μM 327.47
12. Lindera aggregata (Sims) Kosterm. Ethanol extract SARS-CoV BJ-001 1,374.0 ± 39.0 μg/ml 88.2 ± 7.7 μg/ml 16 Li et al. (2005)
SARS-CoV BJ-006 1,374.0 ± 39.0 μg/ml 80.6 ± 5.2 μg/ml 17
13. Lycoris radiata (L'Hér.) Herb. Ethanol extract SARS-CoV BJ-001 886.6 ± 35.0 μg/ml 2.4 ± 0.2 μg/ml 370 Li et al. (2005)
SARS-CoV BJ-006 886.6 ± 35.0 μg/ml 2.1 ± 0.2 μg/ml 422
Lycorine SARS-CoV 14,980 nM 15.7 nM 954.14
14. Phoradendron meliae Trel. Methanol extract MHV-A59 334.3 ± 7.0 μg/ml 13.0 ± 1.4 μg/ml 25.6 Kim et al. (2008)
15. Pelargonium sidoides DC. Aqueous extract (EPs® 7630) HCoV-229E >100 μg/ml (87%) 44.5 μg/ml >2.3 Michaelis et al. (2011)
16. Phellodendron chinense C.K.Schneid. Methanol extract MHV-A59 139.5 ± 81.3 μg/ml 10.4 ± 2.2 μg/ml 13.4 Kim et al. (2008)
17. Polygonum multiflorum Thunb. (vine) Water extract SARS-CoV NC 1–10 μg/ml NC Ho et al. (2007)
Polygonum multiflorum Thunb. (root) Emodin SARS-CoV NC 200 μM NC Ho et al. (2007)
Water extract SARS-CoV NC 1–10 μg/ml NC Ho et al. (2007)
18. Pyrrosia lingua (Thunb.) Farw. Chloroform SARS-CoV BJ-001 2,378.0 ± 87.3 μg/ml 43.2 ± 14.1 μg/ml 55 Li et al. (2005)
SARS-CoV BJ-006 2,378.0 ± 87.3 μg/ml 40.5 ± 3.7 μg/ml 59
19. Rheum officinale Baill. (root) Water extract/Emodin SARS-CoV NC 1–10 μg/ml NC Ho et al. (2007)
20. Rheum palmatum L. Ethyl acetate extract SARS-CoV NC 13.76 ± 0.03 μg/ml NC Luo et al. (2009)
21. Rhus chinensis Mill. Tetra-O-galloyl-β-d-glucose (TGG) SARS-CoV 1,080 μM 4.5 μM 240 Wu et al. (2004)
22. Sanguisorba officinalis L. Methanol extract MHV-A59 388.4 ± 4.5 μg/ml 3.7 ± 1.4 μg/ml 105.0 Kim et al. (2010)
23. Sambucus formosana Nakai Ethanol extract HCoV-NL63 180.62 ± 63.04 μg/ml 1.17 ± 0.75 μg/ml 154.37 Weng et al. (2019)
Caffeic acid HCoV-NL63 >500 μM 3.54 ± 0.77 μM NC
Chlorogenic acid HCoV-NL63 >500 μM 43.45 ± 6.01 μM NC
Gallic acid HCoV-NL63 >500 μM 71.48 ± 18.40 μM NC
24. Sophora flavescens Aiton Methanol extract MHV-A59 556.8 ± 2.9 μg/ml 0.8 ± 0.2 μg/ml 696.0 Kim et al. (2010)
25. Sophora subprostrata Chun & T.Chen Methanol extract MHV-A59 307.3 ± 6.6 μg/ml 27.5 ± 1.1 μg/ml 11.1 Kim et al. (2008)
26. Stephania tetrandra S.Moore Tetrandrine HCoV-OC43 13.41 ± 0.36 μM 0.33 ± 0.03 μM 40.19 Kim et al. (2019)
Fangchinoline HCoV-OC43 11.54 ± 0.46 μM 1.01 ± 0.07 μM 11.46
Cepharanthine HCoV-OC43 11.26 ± 0.69 μM 0.83 ± 0.07 μM 11.63
27. Strobilanthes cusia (Nees) Kuntze Methanol extract HCoV-NL63 >100 μg/ml 0.64 ± 0.43 μg/ml 156.25 Tsai et al. (2020)
Tryptanthrin HCoV-NL63 >400 μM 1.52 ± 0.13 μM 263.16
Indigodole B HCoV-NL63 >400 μM 2.60 ± 0.11 μM 153.85
28. Toona sinensis (Juss.) M.Roem. Water extract SARS-CoV >500 μg/ml 30–43 μg/ml 17 Chen et al. (2008)
29. Torilis japonica (Houtt.) DC. Methanol extract MHV-A59 156.5 ± 2.6 μg/ml 0.8 ± 0.0 μg/ml 195.6 Kim et al. (2010)
30. Veronica linariifolia Pall. ex Link Luteolin SARS-CoV 10,600 μM 10.6 μM 14.62 Wu et al. (2004)
31. Various (Chinese medicinal herbs) Emodin SARS-CoV NC 50% at 20 μM NC Schwarz et al. (2012)
Kaempferol SARS-CoV NC 20% at 20 μM NC
Kaempferol glycosides SARS-CoV NC >50% at 20 μM NC
32. Various (used flavonoid library) Herbacetin MERS & SARS-CoV NC 33.17–40.59 μM NC Jo et al. (2019), Jo et al. (2020)
Rhoifolin SARS-CoV NC 27.45 μM NC Jo et al. (2020)
Pectolinarin SARS-CoV NC 37.78 μM NC Jo et al. (2020)
Isobavachalcone MERS-CoV NC 35.85 μM NC Jo et al. (2019)
Quercetin 3-β-d glucoside MERS-CoV NC 37.03 μM NC Jo et al. (2019)
Helichrysetin MERS-CoV NC 67.04 μM NC Jo et al. (2019)

CC50 is the cytotoxicity concentration of the extracts or compounds that can inhibit 50% population of host cells. IC50 is the inhibitory concentration of the extracts or compound that can cause 50% of virus inhibition or reduction after it has been treated with extract/compound. Selectivity index (SI) is calculated based on the ratio of CC50/IC50. The higher the value of SI, the lesser cytotoxicity for the host and hence being potentially safe to be applied as a future antiviral agent. NC is non-calculable, and ND is data not determined/shown from respective articles.

Abbreviation: MHV, mouse hepatitis virus; wtSARS-CoV; wild-type SARS coronavirus; HIV, human immunodeficiency virus; PEDV, porcine epidemic diarrhea virus; TGE, transmissible gastroenteritis coronavirus; HCoV, human coronavirus; IBV, avian coronavirus; 3CLpro, 3-chymotrypsin-like cysteine protease; PLpro, papain-like protease 2; RdRp, RNA-dependent RNA polymerase; SARS, severe acute respiratory syndrome; MERS, middle east respiratory syndrome