Screening of the secondary metabolites of the crude extracts of an antiviral herbal formulation using gc-ms/ms and lc-ms/ms

This study describes the screening of secondary metabolites of the n-hexane, methanol, and ethanol extracts and the ethyl acetate layer of the medicinal herb formulation, coded BHA using GC-MS/MS. The formulation was and is still used in the treatment of COVID-19 and other viral respiratory infectious diseases. Additionally, the methanol extract was also analysed using LC-MS/MS. Given its effectiveness and favourable results for COVID-19 patients, BHA has remained one of the most widely used herbal antiviral formulations. The choice of the herbal formulation was due to its effectiveness against COVID-19 and the fact that its constituents were listed on the container. The screening results revealed the presence of a wide range of natural products with different structural features in the herbal formulation extracts, most of which have been reported to possess significant biological and pharmacological qualities, such as anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, immunomodulatory, antifibrotic, and vasorelaxation effects. A total of 75 compounds were identified, most of which resulted from the GC-MS/MS analyses, whereas the LC-MS/MS detected only 8 compounds. These included flavonoids, coumarins, alkaloids, fatty acids, terpenoids, and many other phenolic compounds. With exception of few compounds, the results revealed some discrepancies from the chemical composition reported for each individual species. These constituents exhibit antioxidant and anti-fibrotic properties, in respiratory ailments, ability to suppress lung inflammation and fibrosis, regulate blood lipid levels, and improve blood flow. The synergistic effects among the constituents of the herbal formulation may account for its efficacy. The screening results corroborate the usefulness and efficacy of the formulation and provide guidance for the safe application of the herbal antiviral formulation as well as the advancement of antiviral drugs that are successful in treating infectious respiratory diseases. Furthermore, the results confirm that herbal medicines with therapeutic capabilities can be used in the treatment of many disorders, including COVID-19.