Abstract
In 2019, the world suffered from the emergence of COVID-19 infection, one of the most difficult pandemics in recent history. Millions of confirmed deaths from this pandemic have been reported worldwide. This disaster was caused by SARS-CoV-2, which is the last discovered member of the family of Coronaviridae. Various studies have shown that natural compounds have effective antiviral properties against coronaviruses by inhibiting multiple viral targets, including spike proteins and viral enzymes. This review presents the classification and a detailed explanation of the SARS-CoV-2 molecular characteristics and structure–function relationships. We present all currently available crystal structures of different SARS-CoV-2 proteins and emphasized on the crystal structure of different virus proteins and the binding modes of their ligands. This review also discusses the various therapeutic approaches for COVID-19 treatment and available vaccinations. In addition, we highlight and compare the existing data about natural compounds extracted from algae, fungi, plants, and scorpion venom that were used as antiviral agents against SARS-CoV-2 infection. Moreover, we discuss the repurposing of select approved therapeutic agents that have been used in the treatment of other viruses.
Highlights
Coronaviruses (CoVs) are single-stranded RNA viruses that can infect both animals and humans [1]
The nucleoside-modified messenger RNA encoding the viral spike (S) glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 is formulated in lipid particles, which enable delivery of RNA into host cells to allow the expression of the SARS-CoV-2 S antigen, and stimulates an immune response to the S antigen, which protects against COVID-19
The detailed molecular structures of SARS-CoV-2 proteins were discussed, which helped in the discovery of many drugs against COVID-19
Summary
Coronaviruses (CoVs) are single-stranded RNA viruses that can infect both animals and humans [1]. By the end of 2019 in Wuhan, coronavirus made the transfer from animal to human, leading to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) This disease has been found to be triggered by a novel coronavirus known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). A huge amount of knowledge has been acquired about SARS-CoV-2 virus including its molecular structure, lifecycle, and its interactions with the host cell Such information has led to the development of several vaccines, together with potential antiviral drugs. The development of new antiviral agents is urgently needed to provide more therapeutic options for managing diseases caused by SARS-CoV-2 This strategy became challenging after the emergence of the ability of the virus to mutate into several other forms. We introduce and focus on the most recent information about the natural antiviral compounds extracted from algae, fungi, plants, and scorpion venom and their potency against SARS-CoV-2 infection
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