Polyphenols vs. Coronaviruses: How Far Has Research Moved Forward?

Simona Piccolella,Giuseppina Crescente,Shadab Faramarzi,Severina Pacifico,Maria Tommasina Pecoraro,Marialuisa Formato

doi:10.3390/molecules25184103

Simona Piccolella, Giuseppina Crescente + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25184103

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Abstract

The epidemic, caused by SARS-CoV-2 at the beginning of 2020, led us to a serious change in our lifestyle that for about three months has confined us to our homes, far from our laboratory routine. In this period, the belief that the work of a researcher should never stop has been the driving force in writing the present paper. It aims at reviewing the recent scientific knowledge about in vitro experimental data that focused on the antiviral role of phenols and polyphenols against different species of coronaviruses (CoVs), pointing up the viral targets potentially involved. In the current literature scenario, the papain-like and the 3-chymotrypsin-like proteases seem to be the most deeply investigated and a number of isolated natural (poly)phenols has been screened for their efficacy.

Highlights

Four months after the COVID-19 pandemic declaration by the World Health Organization (WHO), the global consequences, both social and economic, are severe, despite the initial desperate health emergency is over
Everyone in the world is aware of the existence of a novel coronavirus, named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)
What happened to scientific research in this lockdown period? To answer this question, it is enough to open the Scopus database and to digit the word “coronavirus,” limiting the search to the last two decades, keeping in mind that the other two epidemics caused by human coronaviruses (SARS)

Summary

Introduction

Four months after the COVID-19 pandemic declaration by the World Health Organization (WHO), the global consequences, both social and economic, are severe, despite the initial desperate health emergency is over. 1% (Scopus database, As chemists with a long experience in natural products, our aim was to exploit our new and strange accessed on 1 July 2020). Chemists condition, with a long in natural benches products,and ourour aimexperiments, was to exploit our new article, experimental evidence thelaboratory role of polyphenol compounds, both in pure forms strangedealing “smart with working”. Condition, far fromofour benches and our experiments, to build up and in mixture in plant extracts, as antiviral evidence agents with a role potential role against different both species a review article, dealing with experimental of the of polyphenol compounds, in of coronaviruses. Deepen the discussion, brief introduction onaviral replication and ondifferent the different pure forms andTo inbetter mixture in plant extracts, as aantiviral agents with potential role against targets involved will be provided. To better deepen the discussion, a brief introduction on viral replication and on the different targets involved will be provided

Viral Structural Features and Replication

Chemical structures and related of some promising compounds against

Other Less Investigated Targets

Findings

Conclusions