Seleno-Functionalization of Quercetin Improves the Non-Covalent Inhibition of M^pro and Its Antiviral Activity in Cells against SARS-CoV-2.

ABSTRACT: The development of new antiviral drugs against SARS-CoV-2 is a valuable long-term strategy to protect the global population from the COVID-19 pandemic complementary to the vaccination. Considering this, the viral main protease (M^pro) is among the most promising molecular targets in light of its importance during the viral replication cycle. The natural flavonoid quercetin 1 has been recently reported to be a potent M^pro inhibitor in vitro, and we explored the effect produced by the introduction of organoselenium functionalities in this scaffold. In particular, we report here a new synthetic method to prepare previously inaccessible C-8 seleno-quercetin derivatives. By screening a small library of flavonols and flavone derivatives, we observed that some compound

SUBMITTER: Mangiavacchi F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8268238 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature