Popoola, TD, Segun, P, Ekuadzi, E, Dickson, RA, Awotona, OR, Nahar, Lutfun, Sarker, Satyajit D and Fatokun, Amos A (2022) West African medicinal plants and their constituent compounds as treatments for viral infections, including SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19. DARU Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences.

Preview

Text Popoola et al. (2022) DARU Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences.pdf - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution. Download (1MB) | Preview

Abstract

Objectives: The recent emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic (caused by SARS-CoV-2) and the experience of its unprecedented alarming toll on humanity have shone a fresh spotlight on the weakness of global preparedness for pandemics, significant health inequalities, and the fragility of healthcare systems in certain regions of the world. It is imperative to identify effective drug treatments for COVID-19. Therefore, the objective of this review is to present a unique and contextualised collection of antiviral natural plants or remedies from the West African sub-region as existing or potential treatments for viral infections, including COVID-19, with emphasis on their mechanisms of action.
Evidence acquisition: Evidence was synthesised from the literature using appropriate keywords as search terms within scientific databases such as Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science and Google Scholar.
Results: While some vaccines and small-molecule drugs are now available to combat COVID-19, access to these therapeutic entities in many countries is still quite limited. In addition, significant aspects of the symptomatology, pathophysiology and long-term prognosis of the infection yet remain unknown. The existing therapeutic armamentarium, therefore, requires significant expansion. There is evidence that natural products with antiviral effects have been used in successfully managing COVID-19 symptoms and could be developed as anti-COVID-19 agents which act through host- and virus-based molecular targets.
Conclusion: Natural products could be successfully exploited for treating viral infections/diseases, including COVID-19. Strengthening natural products research capacity in developing countries is, therefore, a key strategy for reducing health inequalities, improving global health, and enhancing preparedness for future pandemics.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	1115 Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences; Medicinal & Biomolecular Chemistry
Subjects:	R Medicine > RM Therapeutics. Pharmacology R Medicine > RV Botanic, Thomsonian, and eclectic medicine
Divisions:	Pharmacy & Biomolecular Sciences
Publisher:	Springer
SWORD Depositor:	A Symplectic
Date Deposited:	28 Apr 2022 09:15
Last Modified:	28 Apr 2022 09:15
DOI or ID number:	10.1007/s40199-022-00437-9
URI:	https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/16721

View Item