No abstract

COVID-19 is a worldwide pandemic. Currently, there are a few approved effective antiviral drugs against COV-ID-19. Therefore, an effective way to treat an emerging disease is to use existing medicines, which usually have a safety profile. A large number of compounds are produced from traditional medicinal plants and some of them that have antiviral activity could be used as therapeutics, such as Artemisia annua L. Here, we update the information on the therapeutic effects and possible antiviral mechanisms of A. annua and their derivatives against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) infection will be updated. The A. annua derivatives might be effective alternatives for COVID-19 treatment. A. annua might act against the SARS-CoV-2 infection by inhibiting its invasion, ACE2, CD147, and TMPRSS2 expression, virus replication, reducing oxidative stress and inflammation by attenuating Nrf2 and NF-kB signaling, and mitigating lung damage in patients with COVID-19. However, clinical effectiveness needs to be demonstrated.