Potential Natural Compounds for Preventing SARS-CoV-2 (2019-nCoV) Infection

Abstract

SARS-CoV-2 (2019-nCoV), a novel coronavirus, caused the pneumonia outbreak in China and continue to expand. The host receptor for 2019-nCoV Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), is the same as the host receptor for SARS-CoV. Targeting ACE2 holds the promise for preventing and inhibiting 2019-nCoV infection. Chinese Medicine herbs could be a valuable pool for identifying active compounds for treating infection of 2019-nCoV. In this study, we summarize several active compounds, including baicalin, Scutellarin, Hesperetin, Nicotianamine and glycyrrhizin that could have potential anti-2019-nCoV effects. We conduct molecular docking to predict their capacity for binding ACE2, which may prevent the 2019-nCoV infection. We propose that these selected compounds worth further investigation for preventing 2019-nCoV.

Analysis of therapeutic targets for SARS-CoV-2 and discovery of potential drugs by computational methods

“…The For ACE2 target, although several compounds could bind with ACE2 through virtual screening in our studies, no compound was found to bind with the contact surface of ACE2-Spike complex, suggesting that these compounds are only the inhibitors of ACE2 enzyme activities, rather than inhibitors of ACE2 driven virus infections. Just like what described in recently published research 53 , most of selected compounds are also unable to bind with the contact surface of ACE2-Spike complex. Actually, these potential ACE2…”

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): current status and future perspectives

“…Furthermore, high doses of glycyrrhizin have been used in clinical trials and the compound was reported to be clinically effective for the treatment of SARS at that time [110 , 111] . Recently, glycyrrhizin was predicted to have the ability to bind ACE2 with potential anti-COVID-19 effects [112] . Hesperetin, a well-known traditional Chinese medicine, is a natural predominant flavonoid found in citrus fruits.…”

“…Hesperetin dosedependently suppresses the cleavage activity of the 3C-like protease (3CLpro) of SARS-CoV in cell-free and cell-based assays [113] . Hesperetin was also reported to have the potential to inhibit ACE2 and therefore block infection with SARS-CoV-2 [112] . Baicalin, another traditional Chinese herbal medicine, is a flavone isolated from Scutellaria baicalensis .…”

Recent progress in understanding 2019 novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) associated with human respiratory disease: detection, mechanisms and treatment

“…JID: ANTAGE [m5G; April 11, 2020;23:32 ] a potential strategy. Chen and Du used molecular docking to find natural compounds and proposed five candidates, including scutellarin, baicalin, hesperetin, nicotianamine and glycyrrhizin, that were potential compounds targeting the ACE2 receptor and exerting an antiviral effect to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection [96] .…”