Artemisia annua L. extracts inhibit the in vitro replication of SARS-CoV-2 and two of its variants.

ABSTRACT:

Ethnopharmacological relevance

Artemisia annua L. has been used for millennia in Southeast Asia to treat "fever". Many infectious microbial and viral diseases have been shown to respond to A. annua and communities around the world use the plant as a medicinal tea, especially for treating malaria.

Aim of the study

SARS-CoV-2 (the cause of Covid-19) globally has infected and killed millions of people. Because of the broad-spectrum antiviral activity of artemisinin that includes blockade of SARS-CoV-1, we queried whether A. annua suppressed SARS-CoV-2.

Materials and methods

Using Vero E6 and Calu-3 cells, we measured anti SARS-CoV-2 activity against fully infectious virus of dried leaf extracts of seven cultivars of A. annua sourced from four continents. IC50s were calcu

SUBMITTER: Nair MS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7952131 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature