Ethnomedicinal herbs in African traditional medicine with potential activity for the prevention, treatment, and management of coronavirus disease 2019

• Published in: Future journal of pharmaceutical sciences Vol. 7; no. 1; p. 72
• Main Authors: Adeleye, Olutayo Ademola, Femi-Oyewo, Mbang Nyong, Bamiro, Oluyemisi Adebowale, Bakre, Lateef Gbenga, Alabi, Akinyinka, Ashidi, Joseph Senu, Balogun-Agbaje, Olalekan Adeyinka, Hassan, Oluwakemi Mary, Fakoya, Gbemisola
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 20.03.2021; Springer Nature B.V; SpringerOpen
• Subjects: Coronavirus; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Ethnomedicinal herbs; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Pharmaceutical sciences; R&D; Research & development; Review; SARS-CoV-2; Seeds; Traditional medicine; Asia; Egypt; Africa; Tanzania; South Africa; Zimbabwe; Uganda; Madagascar; Sierra Leone; Kenya; Nigeria; COVID-19; Ethnomedicinal herbs; SARS-CoV-2; Traditional medicine; Coronavirus
• ISSN: 2314-7253; 2314-7245; 2314-7253
• DOI: 10.1186/s43094-021-00223-5

Background Ethnomedicine, a study of traditional medicine, is significant in drug discovery and development. African traditional medicine has been in existence for several thousands of years, and several drugs have been discovered and developed from it. Main text The deadly coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by a novel coronavirus known as SARS-CoV-2 has widely spread globally with high mortality and morbidity. Its prevention, treatment and management still pose a serious challenge. A drug for the cure of this disease is yet to be developed. The clinical management at present is based on symptomatic treatment as presented by individuals infected and this is by combination of more than two drugs such as antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, anti-pyretic, and anti-microbials. Literature search was performed through electronic searches of PubMed, Google Scholar, and several research reports including WHO technical documents and monographs. Conclusion Drug discovery from herbs is essential and should be exploited for the discovery of drugs for the management of COVID-19. This review is aimed at identifying ethnomedicinal herbs available in Africa that could be used for the discovery and development of a drug for the prevention, treatment, and management of the novel coronavirus disease 2019.