A Review on Medicinal Plants with Potential Effect on COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused a pandemic worldwide. This virus, which occurs with sudden respiratory distress, is fatal especially in immunocompromised individuals. The interest of people, who have been using plants to find solutions to health problems since ancient times, has increased with the COVID-19 pandemic. In the search for compounds that may be effective in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19, medicinal plants are valuable resources due to their existing biological activities, that inhibit the activity of this virus, cure or prevent viral infections, and low side effects. Extracts of these plants and/or bioactive compounds isolated from them are considered strong candidates for the development of drug formulations that can control the disease. Thyme (Thymus sp. and Origanum sp.), Linden (Tilia sp.), Sage (Salvia sp), Ginger (Zingiber officinale), Turmeric (Curcuma longa), Garlic (Allium sativum), Licorice (Glycirhiza glabra) and Tea (Camellia sinensis) are medicinal plants with antiviral or immunomodulatory activity. In this review, potential therapetic effectsof these plants against Covid-19 are presented based on recent scientific researches.

Keywords

• COVID-19
• Medicinal plants
• Antiviral effect
• Therapeutic effect

COVID-19 Pandemisine Etki Potansiyeli Olan Tıbbi Bitkiler Üzerine Bir Derleme

Abstract

Şiddetli akut solunum sendromu koronavirüsü-2 (SARS-CoV-2)’nin neden olduğu yeni koronavirus hastalığı (COVID-19) dünya genelinde pandemiye neden olmuştur. Ani gelişen solunum sıkıntısı ile ortaya çıkan bu virüs, özellikle immün yetersizliği olan bireylerde ölümcül olarak seyretmektedir. İlk çağlardan itibaren sağlık sorunlarına çözüm bulmak amacıyla bitkilerden yararlanan insanların tıbbi bitkilere olan ilgisi COVID-19 pandemisi ile artmıştır. COVID-19'dan korunmada ve tedavide etkili olabilecek bileşiklerin araştırılmasında tıbbi bitkiler, bu virüsün aktivitesini inhibe eden, viral infeksiyonları iyileştirebilen veya önleyebilen biyolojik aktiviteleri, düşük yan etkileri nedeniyle değerli kaynaklardır. Bu bitkilerin ekstreleri ve/veya bunlardan izole edilen biyoaktif bileşikler hastalığı kontrol altına alabilecek ilaç formülasyonu geliştirilmesi için güçlü adaylar olarak görülmektedir. Bu derlemede, antiviral etkisi veya bağışıklık sistemine etkinliği bilinen ve COVID-19 pandemisine etki potansiyeli olan Thymus sp. ve Origanum sp. (Kekik), Tilia sp. (Ihlamur), Salvia sp. (Adaçayı), Zingiber officinale (Zencefil), Curcuma longa (Zerdeçal), Allium sativum (Sarımsak), Glycirhiza glabra (Meyan) ve Camellia sinensis (Çay) bitkilerinin terapötik etkileri son yıllarda yapılan bilimsel araştırmalar incelenerek sunulmuştur.

Keywords

• COVID-19
• Tıbbi bitkiler
• Antiviral etki
• Terapötik etki

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