WORLD JOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY, cilt.27, sa.39, ss.6551-6571, 2021 (SCI-Expanded)
Information about the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is still
evolving since its appearance in December 2019 and has affected the whole world.
Particularly, a search for an effective and safe treatment for COVID-19 continues.
Botanical mixtures contain secondary metabolites (such as flavonoids, phenolics,
alkaloids, essential oils etc.) with many therapeutic effects. In this study, the use of
herbal treatments against COVID-19 was evaluated. Medical synthetic drugs
focus mainly on respiratory symptoms, however herbal therapy with plant
extracts may be useful to relieve overall symptoms of COVID-19 due to the
variety of bioactive ingredients. Since COVID-19 is a virus that affects the
respiratory tract, the antiviral effects of botanicals/plants against respiratory
viruses have been examined through clinical studies. Data about COVID-19
patients revealed that the virus not only affects the respiratory system but
different organs including the gastrointestinal (GI) system. As GI symptoms
seriously affect quality of life, herbal options that might eliminate these problems
were also evaluated. Finally, computer modeling studies of plants and their active
compounds on COVID-19 were included. In summary, herbal therapies were
identified as potential options for both antiviral effects and control of COVID-19
symptoms. Further data will be needed to enlighten all aspects of COVID-19
pathogenesis, before determining the effects of plants on severe acute respiratory
syndrome coronavirus 2.