<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>Amentoflavone is one of the flavonoids that are known for their antiviral effects and many of them are predicted to have inhibitory effects against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and Middle East respiratory syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) enzymes 3-chymotrypsin-like protease (3CLpro) and papain-like protease (PLpro). Amentoflavone is a biflavonoid found in the herbal extracts of St. John's wort (<italic>Hypericum perforatum</italic>), <italic>Gingko biloba</italic>, <italic>Selaginella tamariscina, Torreya nucifera</italic>, and many other plants. Its pharmacological actions have been listed as antiviral, antibacterial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antidepressant, and neuroprotective. Molecular docking studies have found that amentoflavone binds strongly to the active site of the main protease (M<sup>pro</sup>) of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). As conventional antiviral medications are met with limited success against coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) and vaccines are one of the only weapons against COVID-19 in the pharmaceutical armamentarium, traditional medicines are being considered for the forefront battle against COVID-19. Clinical studies with <italic>Hypericum</italic> and <italic>Gingko</italic> extract as additional or alternative drugs/supplements are registered. Here we review the potential of amentoflavone, an active agent in both <italic>Hypericum</italic> and <italic>Gingko</italic> extract as an adjunct therapy for COVID-19. Its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and sepsis preventive actions could provide protection against the “cytokine storm.” Compared with the herbal extracts, which induce cytochrome P450 (CYP) and uridine 5′-diphospho (UDP)-glucuronosyltransferases (UGT) activity producing a negative herb–drug interaction, amentoflavone is a potent inhibitor of CYP3A4, CYP2C9, and UGT. Further studies into the therapeutic potential of amentoflavone against the coronavirus infection are warranted.</p>
</abstract>

Amentoflavone is one of the flavonoids that are known for their antiviral effects and many of them are predicted to have inhibitory effects against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and Middle East respiratory syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) enzymes 3-chymotrypsin-like protease (3CLpro) and papain-like protease (PLpro). Amentoflavone is a biflavonoid found in the herbal extracts of St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum), Gingko biloba, Selaginella tamariscina, Torreya nucifera, and many other plants. Its pharmacological actions have been listed as antiviral, antibacterial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antidepressant, and neuroprotective. Molecular docking studies have found that amentoflavone binds strongly to the active site of the main protease (Mpro) of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). As conventional antiviral medications are met with limited success against coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) and vaccines are one of the only weapons against COVID-19 in the pharmaceutical armamentarium, traditional medicines are being considered for the forefront battle against COVID-19. Clinical studies with Hypericum and Gingko extract as additional or alternative drugs/supplements are registered. Here we review the potential of amentoflavone, an active agent in both Hypericum and Gingko extract as an adjunct therapy for COVID-19. Its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and sepsis preventive actions could provide protection against the “cytokine storm.” Compared with the herbal extracts, which induce cytochrome P450 (CYP) and uridine 5′-diphospho (UDP)-glucuronosyltransferases (UGT) activity producing a negative herb–drug interaction, amentoflavone is a potent inhibitor of CYP3A4, CYP2C9, and UGT. Further studies into the therapeutic potential of amentoflavone against the coronavirus infection are warranted.

Potential of amentoflavone with antiviral properties in COVID-19 treatment

Datta Meghe Institute of Medical Sciences

Asian Biomedicine

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

{"article-title":"Potential of amentoflavone with antiviral properties in COVID-19 treatment"}

Amentoflavone is one of the flavonoids that are known for their antiviral effects and many of them are predicted to have inhibitory effects against severe...

Potential of amentoflavone with antiviral properties in COVID-19 treatment

Article Category: Mini review

Published Online: Aug 20, 2021

Page range: 153 - 159

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/abm-2021-0020

Keywords
amentoflavone, COVID-19, CYP450 inhibitor, flavonoid, SARS-CoV

© 2021 Akhilesh Vikram Singh, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Potential of amentoflavone with antiviral properties in COVID-19 treatment

Article Category: Mini review

Published Online: Aug 20, 2021

Page range: 153 - 159

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/abm-2021-0020

Keywordsamentoflavone, COVID-19, CYP450 inhibitor, flavonoid, SARS-CoV

© 2021 Akhilesh Vikram Singh, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Keywords
amentoflavone, COVID-19, CYP450 inhibitor, flavonoid, SARS-CoV