Pharmacological perspective: glycyrrhizin may be an efficacious therapeutic agent for COVID-19.

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the previously unknown pathogen, severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is now a global pandemic. There are no vaccines or specific treatments against this new virus; therefore, there is an urgent need to advance novel therapeutic interventions for COVID-19. Glycyrrhizin is a triterpene saponin with various biological functions and pharmacological effects. This brief article discusses the therapeutic potential of glycyrrhizin for the treatment of COVID-19 from the perspective of its pharmacological action, including binding angiotensin-converting enzyme II (ACE2), downregulating proinflammatory cytokines, inhibiting the accumulation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), inhibiting thrombin, inhibiting the hyperproduction of airway exudates, and inducing endogenous interferon.

• Authors: Pan Luo, Dong Liu, Juan Li
• Journal: International journal of antimicrobial agents (Int J Antimicrob Agents) Vol. 55 Issue 6 Pg. 105995 (Jun 2020) ISSN: 1872-7913 [Electronic] Netherlands
• PMID: 32335281 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Anti-Inflammatory Agents
• Cytokines
• Reactive Oxygen Species
• Glycyrrhizic Acid
• Interferons
• Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A
• ACE2 protein, human
• Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2

Topics

• Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2
• Anti-Inflammatory Agents (therapeutic use)
• Betacoronavirus (drug effects)
• COVID-19
• Coronavirus Infections (drug therapy)
• Cytokines (blood)
• Glycyrrhizic Acid (therapeutic use)
• Humans
• Interferons (biosynthesis, immunology)
• Pandemics
• Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A (metabolism)
• Pneumonia, Viral (drug therapy)
• Reactive Oxygen Species (metabolism)
• SARS-CoV-2
• Virus Attachment (drug effects)
• Virus Internalization (drug effects)
• COVID-19 Drug Treatment