Table 1.
Summary of the main findings in the analyzed articles on the interaction of plant products with SARS-CoV-2.
| Plant product | Main findings | Site of action | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andrographis paniculata | 1. Inhibition of the virion reproduction. | - | Sa-Ngiamsuntorn et al. 17 |
| 2. More potent in the late stages of the viral life cycle than in the early stages of viral genome replication and protein synthesis. | Figure 1(A) and (B) | ||
| 3. Interference in the entry of SARS-CoV-2 into the host cell. | Figure 1(C) | ||
| Artemisia annua | 1. Action after entry of the SARS-CoV-2 into the host cell. | Figure 1(A) | Nair et al. 22 |
| 2. Regulation of the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines by the infected cell. | – | ||
| Artemisia annua and Artemisia afra | 1. Synthesis of a transition complex through the iron atoms of the heme group and O1. | – | Nie et al. 31 |
| Artemisinins | 1. Inhibition of the SARS-CoV-2 nucleoprotein. | Figure 1(D) | Cao et al. 35 |
| 2. Increase of the endosomal pH. | Figure 1(E) | ||
| Cannabis sativa | 1. Regulation of ACE2 gene expression. | Figure 1(F) | Wang et al. 37 |
| 2. Decreased levels of TMPRSS2. | Figure 1(G) | ||
| Curcuma longa L. | Impaired binding of the spike glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 to the receptor ACE2. | Figure 1(H) | Bormann et al. 50 |
| Curcuma longa L. and Piper nigrum | 1. Impaired viral adsorption. | Figure 1(H) | Roshdy et al. 57 |
| 2. Deformations in surface proteins of the coronavirus. | – | ||
| 3. Regulation of the levels of cytokines Ikβα, TNF-α, and IL-6. | – | ||
| 4. Blocking of NF-κβ pathway. | – | ||
| Echinacea purpurea | 1. Impaired binding to receptors in the cell membrane. | Figure 1(F) to (H) | Signer et al. 59 |
| Glycyrrhiza glabra L. and glycyrrhizin | 1. Action on the SARS-CoV-2 protease Mpro, which mediates the proteolytic cleavage of viral polyproteins. | Figure 1(I) | van de Sand et al. 65 |
| 2. Impaired viral entry into the cell. | Figure 1(C) | ||
| Olea europaea L. | 1. Changes in the spike protein. | Figure 1(K) | Takeda et al. 75 |
| 2. Damage to the viral genome, compromising the protein translation by the coronavirus. | Figure 1(L) | ||
| Phenolic compounds | 1. High binding capability to the SARS-CoV-2 RBD-spike protein, impairing its adsorption to the host cell. | Figure 1(H) and (K) | Goc et al. 83 |
| Punica granatum L. | 1. Inhibition of the binding of the viral spike protein to the ACE2 receptor. | Figure 1(H) | Tito et al. 94 |
| 2. Inhibition of 5α-reductase and protease Mpro, which are closely related to SARS-CoV-2 replication. | – |
ACE2: angiotensin-converting enzyme 2; TMPRSS2: transmembrane protease, serine 2; Ikβα: inhibitor kappa beta alpha protein; TNF-α: tumor necrosis factor-α; IL-6: interleukin-6; NF-κβ: nuclear factor kappa β; RBD: receptor-binding domain.