DILIP GHOSH, PHD
Nutriconnect, Sydney, Australia

Abstract

Viral infections including coronavirus (CoV), play an important role in human disease spectrum, and recent pandemic of Covid-19 have highlighted again the importance of prevention as a critical issue in safeguarding public health. Despite the progress made in immunization and drug development, many viruses lack preventive vaccines and efficient antiviral therapies. Botanical-derived products provide a rich resource for novel antiviral drug development based on evidences. Until the world discovered any real solution, evidence-based nutraceuticals/dietary supplement/complementary medicines/herbal medicines (different country coined different regulatory names) may possess some advantages in preventing or treating the SARS-CoV-2 infection. Few recent clinical trials’ outcomes showed very promising results.

INTRODUCTION

In last few decades, we experienced many global viral infections such as coronavirus (CoV), coxsackievirus (CV), dengue virus (DENV), enterovirus 71 (EV71), hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), herpes simplex virus, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), influenza virus, measles virus (MV), and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Few of them are endemic or epidemic in nature and contained. But the recent progressive outbreaks of Covid-19 have shown limitation, as well as the importance of high level of healthcare system. We have seen unprecedented progress and cooperation globally in public-private partnership made in immunization and drug development programs. Despite some initial progress, we are still not able to control this global outbreak. After decades of first incidence of both Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), we still have no working preventive vaccines and efficient antiviral therapies, probably due to the lack of persistent follow-up research and funding insufficiency.

Traditional herbal medicines and purified natural products provide a rich resource for no ...