A Comprehensive Review of Herbal Recommendations with the Potential to Inhibit COVID-19 Infection

Mansoor Khaledi; Fatemeh Sameni; Hossein  Amini-Khoei; Mehran Bakhtiari; Najmeh Sedighimehr; Javad Fathi; Maede Ghiyasvand; Zahra Mottaghiyan; Saina Najafi; Pouneh Mohammadpour; Zahra Shirzazd; Azam Haghighatfard; Majid Validi

doi:10.18502/jmb.v11i5-6.14362

Mansoor Khaledi Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran
Fatemeh Sameni Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran
Hossein Amini-Khoei Medical Plants Research Center, Basic Health Sciences Institute, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran.
Mehran Bakhtiari Students Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran.
Najmeh Sedighimehr Department of Physical Therapy, School of Rehabilitation, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
Javad Fathi Department of Bacteriology and Virology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
Maede Ghiyasvand Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran.
Zahra Mottaghiyan Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran.
Saina Najafi Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
Pouneh Mohammadpour Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran.
Zahra Shirzazd Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran.
Azam Haghighatfard Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Majid Validi Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord., Iran.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/jmb.v11i5-6.14362

Keywords: COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Herbal Medicine, Traditional Medicine.

Abstract

Background: The outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has originated from Wuhan, China and rapidly spread all over the world. This disease is caused by a coronavirus termed Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) that mainly infects the human respiratory tract. Herbal agents including Atractylodes lancea, Ephedra, Curcumin, and Echinacea purpurea had immunomodulatory effects and antiviral activities on other respiratory viruses including Influenza virus. They strengthen the innate immunity through increasing the phagocytic activity and antiinflammatory activity. These herbs could be used as a complementary therapy to prevent entry of COVID-19 and improve immune system. This review delves into the role and therapeutic compounds of various herbal agents in relation to immunity, their effectiveness in treating other viral respiratory illnesses, and their potential influence on COVID-19 disease.