Investigation of the Antiviral Effects of Saussurea lappa Root Extract against SARS‐CoV‐2 Virus

• Published in: Molecular nutrition & food research Vol. 67; no. 14; pp. e2200804 - n/a
• Main Authors: Ulbegi Polat, Hivda, Serhatli, Müge, Taş Ekiz, Arzu, Abaci, İrem, Aksoy, Özge, Çakirca, Gamze, Tekin, Şaban, Al‐Zendani, Abdulmajeed Aziz Hamoud, Al‐Zendani, Mohammed Abdulmajeed Aziz, Korkmaz, Ömer, Peru, Celalettin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.07.2023
• Subjects: Anesthesia; Animal models; Animals; antiviral; Antiviral activity; Antiviral Agents - pharmacology; COVID-19; Dietary supplements; herbal medicine; In vitro methods and tests; Mice; neutralization; Plant extracts; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; root extracts; SARS-CoV-2; Saussurea; Saussurea lappa; Severe acute respiratory syndrome; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Transgenic mice; Viral diseases; Viruses; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; neutralization; root extracts; antiviral; Saussurea lappa; herbal medicine
• ISSN: 1613-4125; 1613-4133
• DOI: 10.1002/mnfr.202200804

Scope The purpose of this study was to look into the antiviral activity of a plant extract derived from the roots of the Saussurea lappa as a food supplement against SARS‐CoV‐2 infection. Methods and results Vero E6 cells are employed in the study to test the neutralizing effect of Saussurea lappa extract against the SARS‐CoV‐2 virus. For anti‐viral activity detection, a sensitive real‐time cell analyzer (xCELLigence RTCA) with a high repetition rate is used. A challenge experiment in mice is planned as a result of the in vitro analysis. A challenge test against SARS‐CoV‐2 is performed with 10 adult female K18‐hACE2 transgenic mice in each group for this purpose. The mice in the S. lappa Group are gavaged 2 days before the virus is administered intranasally (i.n.). The control group received PBS instead of the extract. SARS‐CoV‐2 virus is administered i.n. under anesthesia for the first 3 days of the experiment, and S. lappa extract was administered by gavage in the afternoon. On the 10th day, mice in the S. lappa group survived the study, whereas animals in the control group grew ill and/or died. In this study, the extract protects the mice against the SARS‐CoV‐2 virus in 90% of the cases. Conclusions This study demonstrates that the Saussurea plant has antiviral effects against SARS‐CoV‐2 in vitro and in animal models. The roots of S. lappa are extracted. The SARS‐CoV‐2 virus, S. lappa, and cells are combined in the neutralization experiment. Mice are infected with the virus and S. lappa. The lungs are harvested and examined after the experiment. The antiviral effect of our S. lappa root extract against SARS‐CoV‐2 has been shown in our study using in vitro and in vivo models.