Traditional Indian Medicinal Plants in the Treatment of Patients Infected With Human Coronavirus 2019 (SARS-CoV-2): A Review (original) (raw)

The Novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by SARS-CoV-2, which is the causative agent of a potentially fatal disease that has become a global pandemic as announced by WHO. The outbreak of COVID-19 has created panic worldwide due to inadequate risk assessment considering the urgency of the situation. The COVID-19 pandemic has entered a dangerous new phase. When compared with SARS and MERS, COVID-19 has spread more rapidly, due to increased globalization and adaptation of the virus in every environment. Slowing the spread of the COVID-19cases will significantly reduce the strain on the healthcare system of the country by limiting the number of people who are severely sick byCOVID-19 and need hospital care. Hence, the recent outburst of COVID-19 highlights an urgent need for therapeutic agents targeting SARS-CoV-2. Here, we have discussed the structure of virus; varying symptoms among COVID-19, SARS, MERS and common flu; the probable mechanism behind the infection and its immune response. Further, the current treatment options, synthetic drugs available, ongoing trials and recent diagnostics for COVID-19 have been discussed. We suggest traditional Indian medicinal plants as possible novel therapeutic approaches, exclusively targeting SARS-CoV-2 and its pathways.