Combinatorial Evaluation of Antiviral Activity of some Nigerian Medicinal Plants on SARS-CoV-2Combinatorial Evaluation of Antiviral Activity of some Nigerian Medicinal Plants on SARS-CoV-2
Kakjing D. Falang *
Plateau State Research Committee on Covid-19 and other Infectious Diseases, Jos, Nigeria. and Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Jos, Nigeria.
Catherine O. Poyi
Department of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, University of Jos, Nigeria.
Ukpe Ajima
Plateau State Research Committee on Covid-19 and other Infectious Diseases, Jos, Nigeria. and Department of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, University of Jos, Nigeria.
Bukata B. Bukar
Plateau State Research Committee on Covid-19 and other Infectious Diseases, Jos, Nigeria. and Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Jos, Nigeria.
Kennedy I. Amagon
Plateau State Research Committee on Covid-19 and other Infectious Diseases, Jos, Nigeria. and Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Jos, Nigeria.
James G. Damen
Plateau State Research Committee on Covid-19 and other Infectious Diseases, Jos, Nigeria. and Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, University of Jos, Nigeria.
Yusuf Agabi
Plateau State Research Committee on Covid-19 and other Infectious Diseases, Jos, Nigeria. and Virology Unit, Department of Microbiology, University of Jos, Nigeria.
Richard J. Kutshik
Plateau State Research Committee on Covid-19 and other Infectious Diseases, Jos, Nigeria. and Department of Biochemistry, University of Jos, Nigeria.
Ishaya Y. Longdet
Plateau State Research Committee on Covid-19 and other Infectious Diseases, Jos, Nigeria. and Department of Biochemistry, University of Jos, Nigeria.
Simji S. Gomerep
Plateau State Research Committee on Covid-19 and other Infectious Diseases, Jos, Nigeria. and Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Medicine University of Jos, Nigeria.
Ismaila Shittu
Plateau State Research Committee on Covid-19 and other Infectious Diseases, Jos, Nigeria. and National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom, Plateau State, Nigeria.
Stephen D. Davou
Plateau State Research Committee on Covid-19 and other Infectious Diseases, Jos, Nigeria. and Plateau State Ministry of Health, Jos, Nigeria.
Jacob A. Kolawole
Plateau State Research Committee on Covid-19 and other Infectious Diseases, Jos, Nigeria. and Department of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, University of Jos, Nigeria.
Noel N. Wannang
Plateau State Research Committee on Covid-19 and other Infectious Diseases, Jos, Nigeria. and Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Jos, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The coronavirus disease COVID-19 pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2) has presented unprecedented challenges to the healthcare systems in the world. There are no definite effective therapeutic agents or vaccines against the virus currently. However clinical management of the infection includes prevention, control measures, supportive care and repurposed drug therapy based on pathophysiology of the virus and manifestation of the disease condition thereby using antiviral agents such as remdesivir, lopinavir and favipiravir. Herbal preparations are being promoted for the management of Covid-19. Some selected Nigerian medicinal plants are hereby investigated by In-silico studies of the plant constituents. When compared with the listed therapeutic agents, the phytochemical constituents of the selected plants have better binding affinity to several Covid-19 viral target proteins. Also they were found to be safe for human use with LD50 of >2000 mg/Kg for the plant extracts. Some of the plants also contained phytochemicals that can be employed for the symptoms of covid-19.
Keywords: COVID-19, SAR-CoV-2, medicinal plants, phytochemical components, remdesivir, lopinavir, favipiravir.