Antiviral, virucidal and antioxidant properties of Artemisia annua against SARS-CoV-2

Natural products are a rich source o bioactive molecules that have potential pharmacotherapeutic applications. In this study, we ocused on Artemisia annua (A. annua) and its enriched extracts which were biologically evaluated in vitro as virucidal, antiviral, and antioxidant agents, with a potential application against the COVID- 19 inection. The crude extract showed virucidal, antiviral and antioxidant eects in concentrations that did not aect cell viability. Scopoletin, arteannuin B and artemisinic acid (single ractions isolated rom A. annua) exerted a considerable virucidal and antiviral eect in vitro starting rom a concentration o 50 μg/mL. Data rom Surace Plasmon Resonance (SPR) showed that the inhibition o the viral inection was due to the interaction o these compounds with the 3CLpro and Spike proteins o SARS-CoV-2, suggesting that the main interaction o compounds may interere with the viral pathways during the insertion and the replication process. The present study suggests that natural extract o A. annua and its components could have a key role as antioxidants and antiviral agents and support the ght against SARS-CoV-2 variants and other possible emerging Coronaviruses.