Plant Biodiversity and its Role in Treating COVID-19

Author(s): Kashf Rafiq, Ayesha Tahir, Ramsha Ahmed, Samreen Riaz

After the emergence of novel corona virus infection, in Wuhan, the city of China, this deadly pandemic in no time has affected the whole world including 216 countries [1]. Till now, no specific medicine or vaccine has been identified as its ultimate treatment. According to our analysis, it is found that traditional Chinese and Moroccan medicines, Indian traditional herbal medicines, and a wide variety of plants are effective in boosting our immunity which ultimately helps to fight against this virus. We have summarized 164 phytochemicals from these 80 plants that includes Yupingfeng San, Astragalus, Fangfeng, Yinqiao san, Maxinshigan tang, Baihegujin tang, Radix scutellaria, Ginseng, Crocus sativus, etc. All the phytochemicals were found to have different roles in inhibiting and suppressing the virus mechanisms and in relieving the symptoms against COVID-19. Further in-vitro and in-vivo experiments and research on these phyto-chemicals are needed to find the best possible treatment against COVID-19.