Title:Pharmacological Perspectives of Ayurvedic Herbs viz. Alstonia scholaris L., Picrorhiza kurroa, Swertia chirata and Caesalpinia crista Against COVID- 19: A Mini-Review
Volume: 18
Issue: 7
Author(s): Vijay Kumar*, Shyam B. Singh and Simranjeet Singh
Affiliation:
- Department of Chemistry, Regional Ayurveda Research Institute for Drug Development, Madhya Pradesh,India
Keywords:
COVID-19, pro-inflammation, inhibition of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme II (ACE2), reactive oxygen species,
herbal drugs.
Abstract: Pandemic, COVID-19 came into existence in late December 2019 at Wuhan, China. To
cure the COVID-19 and reduction in morbidity, the development of potential vaccines and antiviral
drugs may take months or years. To reduce the pressure on healthcare infrastructure, traditional medicines
may use as an alternative measure. The rationale of the current study was to provide the pharmacological
details of Ayurvedic herbs viz. Alstonia scholaris L., Picrorhiza kurroa, Swertia chirata
and Caesalpinia crista w.r.t. symptoms of COVID-19. The available information on the ethnomedicinal
uses, phytochemistry, and pharmacology was collected via a library and electronic searches in
Sci-Finder, Pub-Med, Science Direct, Google Scholar for the period of up to 31 August 2020. The
major symptoms of COVID-19 include pro-inflammation, inhibition of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme
II (ACE2) and reactive oxygen species. A literature search revealed that all herbs under study
are potent against two or more symptoms of COVID-19. All four Ayurvedic herbs viz. Alstonia
scholaris L., Picrorhiza kurroa, Swertia chirata and Caesalpinia crista may be a good option, including
other traditional drugs during the outbreak of COVID-19. In-depth experimental, preclinical and
clinical studies are required in the future to develop a potent drug against COVID-19.
