Advances on Antiviral Activity of Morus spp. Plant Extracts: Human Coronavirus and Virus-Related Respiratory Tract Infections in the Spotlight (2025)

A Review of Ethnobotany , Phytochemistry , Antiviral and Cytotoxic / Anticancer Potential of Morus Alba Linn

2016

Morus alba Linn. belongs to family Moraceae commonly known as White mulberry, is one of the old and popular plant esteemed for its wide variety of nutritional and therapeutic values. It has great antiviral and cytotoxic potential. The present review summarizes ethnobotany, phytochemistry, antiviral and cytotoxic / anticancer potential of Morus alba. Phytochemical screening of Morus alba revealed the presence of flavonoids, glycosides, tannins, polysaccharides and lectins which act as antiviral, cytotoxic and antiapoptotic compounds. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first review focusing on antiviral and cytotoxic potential of Morus alba Linn. in detail. ______________________________________________________________________________

Antiviral Potential of Medicinal Plants: An Overview

INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH JOURNAL OF PHARMACY, 2013

The term 'Antiviral agents' has been defined in very broad terms as substances other than a virus or virus containing vaccine or specific antibody which can produce either a protective or therapeutic effect to the clear detectable advantage of the virus infected host. The herbal medicine has a long traditional use and the major advantage over other medicines is their wide therapeutic window with rare side effects. There are some disadvantages of synthetic drugs like narrow therapeutic window and more importantly the various adverse side effects which occur quite frequently. Due to these disadvantages and other limitations, there is an increasing trend in the field of research for discovering new and noble drugs based on various herbal formulations. This review attempts to address the importance of developing therapeutic herbal formulations from various medicinal plants using the knowledge based on traditional system of medicines, the Ayurveda. Although natural products have been used by civilization since ancient times, only in recent decades has there been growing research into alternative therapies and the therapeutics use of natural products, especially those derived from plants. Plants synthesize and preserve a variety of biochemical products, many of which are extractable and used for various scientific investigations. Therefore, medicinal plants proved to be a major resort for the treatment of diseases and sicknesses by traditional healers in many societies.

Antiviral potentials of medicinal plants

Virus Research, 2008

Medicinal plants have been widely used to treat a variety of infectious and non-infectious ailments. According to one estimate, 25% of the commonly used medicines contain compounds isolated from plants. Several plants could offer a rich reserve for drug discovery of infectious diseases, particularly in an era when the latest separation techniques are available on one hand, and the human population is challenged by a number of emerging infectious diseases on the other hand. Among several other ailments, viral infections, particularly infections associated with human immunodeficiency virus type I (HIV-I) and 2 (HIV-2), and newly emerging infectious viruses have challenged mankind survival. Of importance, a variety of medicinal plants have shown promise to treat a number of viral infections, and some of them possess broad-spectrum antiviral activity. In the past, exploration into the antiviral activity of various promising medicinal plants was limited due to: (a) highly infectious nature of viruses and (b) lack of appropriate separation techniques for the identification of antiviral components from plants. Development of vector-based strategies, in which non-infectious molecular clone of a virus could be used for antiviral screening purposes, and advancement in separation technologies offers promise for medicinal plants usage in modern drug discovery. This article describes potential antiviral properties of medicinal plants against a diverse group of viruses. and suggests screening the potential of plants possessing broad-spectrum antiviral effects against emerging viral infections.

Plant Extracts as Antiviral Agents

Modern approaches in drug designing, 2020

With the advent of COVID-19, an infectious disease, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2 (SARS-COV-2), which has claimed the death of thousands around the globe, there is an urgent intense need to screen plant extracts, in addition to the search for synthetic medicines and a vaccine to neutralize the coronavirus. Whilst the use of plant extracts for antimicrobial, antidiabetic and other assays have reached their zenith, research in the use of plant extracts as antiviral agents lacks comparison. Such research would also come in close scrutiny in the future, considering that the virus can mutate and lead to antiviral strains. Thus, research in this area, should seek the approval of health organisations, locally and international and may become increasing difficult to pursue, considering the emergence of COVID-19 disease. Viruses can mutate in the presence of chemicals and other mutating agents to produce Novel viral strains, with devastating effect on the human race. Viruses detrimental to the human race, can emerge from any countries. Once approval is sought, for antiviral research, herbal antiviral medicinal research should intensified. Guyana diverse flora offers a promising source for natural antiviral agents and needs continual screening in this direction. However, it would need approval from world health organisations for antiviral testing.

A Review with Updated Perspectives on the Antiviral Potentials of Traditional Medicinal Plants and Their Prospects in Antiviral Therapy

Life

Exploration of the traditional medicinal plants is essential for drug discovery and development for various pharmacological targets. Various phytochemicals derived from medicinal plants were extensively studied for antiviral activity. This review aims to highlight the role of medicinal plants against viral infections that remains to be the leading cause of human death globally. Antiviral properties of phytoconstituents isolated from 45 plants were discussed for five different types of viral infections. The ability of the plants’ active compounds with antiviral effects was highlighted as well as their mechanism of action, pharmacological studies, and toxicological data on a variety of cell lines. The experimental values, such as IC50, EC50, CC50, ED50, TD50, MIC100, and SI of the active compounds, were compiled and discussed to determine their potential. Among the plants mentioned, 11 plants showed the most promising medicinal plants against viral infections. Sambucus nigra and Clina...

Novel antiviral agents: a medicinal plant perspective

Journal of Applied Microbiology, 2003

Antiviral Potential of Selected Medicinal Herbs and Their Isolated Natural Products

BioMed Research International, 2021

Viruses are responsible for a variety of human pathogenesis. Owing to the enhancement of the world population, global travel, and rapid urbanization, and infectious outbreaks, a critical threat has been generated to public health, as preventive vaccines and antiviral therapy are not available. Herbal medicines and refined natural products have resources for the development of novel antiviral drugs. These natural agents have shed light on preventive vaccine development and antiviral therapies. This review intends to discuss the antiviral activities of plant extracts and some isolated plant natural products based on mainly preclinical (in vitro and in vivo) studies. Twenty medicinal herbs were selected for the discussion, and those are commonly recognized antiviral medicinal plants in Ayurveda (Zingiber officinale, Caesalpinia bonducella, Allium sativum, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Ferula assafoetida, Gymnema sylvestre, Gossypium herbaceum, Phyllanthus niruri, Trachyspermum ammi, Withania som...

Antiviral properties of two Nigerian plants

2000

Ethanolic extracts were prepared from Bambusa vulgaris and Aframomum melegueta. They were analysed for antiviral activities against three human viruses namely: measles, yellow fever and polio viruses by standard laboratory tests. Both extracts showed antiviral activities against one or two viruses. B. vulgaris resulted in inhibition only on measles virus at MIC of 62.5 µg/ml while A. melegueta inhibited measles

Phytochemical Screening, Antibacterial Activity, and Mode of Action on Morus nigra

Pharmacognosy Journal

Introduction: The Morus nigra (Moraceae) known as black mulberry is a well-grown plant in Lembang, Indonesia. Previous studies showed that black mulberry fruit has activity as antibacterial and antioxidant. The aims of this study were to evaluate the antibacterial effect of ethanol extract from stem bark, fruit, and leaves of Morus nigra, MIC and morphological changes of the most active extract against Staphylococcus epidermidis and Propionibacterium acnes. Methods: Agar diffusion and microdilution assays were used to evaluate the antibacterial effect of the extract by measuring the zone of inhibition and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the extract against the test bacteria. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was performed to evaluate the morphological changes induced by the extract in cellular membrane of the bacteria. Protein and ion leakage from the bacterial cells induced by the extract were also evaluated. Results: The antibacterial activity showed the most active extract was an ethanol extract of the stem bark against S. epidermidis and P. acnes with MIC value 4 mg/ml and 2 mg/ml, respectively. The extract also induced protein and ion leakage in test bacterial cells. SEM findings revealed that the extract induced potential cellular membrane damage in 4xMIC. Conclusion: The antibacterial activity was related to the damaged of bacterial cell wall.

Antiviral activity of medicinal plant extracts

Phytotherapy Research, 1997

Dichloromethane and ethanol extracts of 12 plants with a history of use in traditional medicine, were tested for antiviral activity against herpes simplex type I. The most potent inhibition was shown by ethanol extracts of Eugenia jambos, Cistus populifolius, Lippia alba, Chiranthodendron pentadactylon and Tuberaria lignosa. These extracts, and others that had no effect, were chosen for more extensive studies against poliovirus type 1 and vesicular stomatitis virus. It was found that the ethanol extracts of Eugenia jambos, Chiranthodendron pentadactylon and Santolina oblongifolia inhibited the replication of VSV, but none of the extracts investigated had any effect on poliovirus replication.