Multi-target therapeutic interventions based on phytochemicals for SARS-CoV-2

COVID-19 has an unprecedented effect on every aspect of human existence. The chief targets for drug design against SARS-CoV-2 are, spike envelope glycoprotein (S), the viral main proteinase Mpro, also referred to as 3CLpro, Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2), and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). A systematic literature survey was performed extensively from various published sources and peer-reviewed electronic databases such as PubMed, Scielo, Google Scholar, and Science Direct databases to obtain peer-reviewed studies on the chief targets for drug design against SARS-CoV-2 and phytochemicals. Of the 1012 titles identified by the search, 151 were adequate according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The promising antibacterial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral activities of phytochemicals make them an attractive option for drug discovery against SARS-CoV-2. In the quest for finding drug molecules against these targets, ethno-medicinal knowledge is also being explored. In this review, the authors have deduced the available phytochemicals with reported anti-CoV activity. In addition to that, the authors have also briefly thrown light on the etiologic and existing drug targets for SARS-CoV-2. Authors conclude that a multi-target treatment strategy would be the most useful approach against SARS-CoV-2 and phytochemicals can prove to be the gold mine for designing such drugs.