ABSTRACT
Viruses are the leading causes of various viral infections in animals, including humans, ranging from mild to potentially fatal illnesses. Antiviral drugs or vaccines usually control these viral infections, but some viruses become resistant to antiviral drugs, demanding new antiviral remedies or cell-based antiviral therapies. Herbal medicines are usually targeting viral and cellular targets during viral replication. Interestingly, folk medicine has used clove as an essential herbal medication with promising antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties. Traditionally, clove extract, oil, or individual active ingredients (e.g., eugenol) have antithrombotic, immunostimulatory, and antibacterial effects, which may be additionally beneficial during severe viral infections. To these points, we aim in this chapter to discuss the potential broad-spectrum antiviral role of clove and its active constituents against emerging and re-emerging RNA and DNA viruses. © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
The current COronaVIrus Disease 19 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection is enormously affecting the worldwide health and economy. In the wait for an effective global immunization, the development of a specific therapeutic protocol to treat COVID-19 patients is clearly necessary as a short-term solution of the problem. Drug repurposing and herbal medicine represent two of the most explored strategies for an anti-COVID-19 drug discovery. Clove (Syzygium aromaticum L.) is a well-known culinary spice that has been used for centuries in folk medicine in many disorders. Interestingly, traditional medicines have used clove since ancient times to treat respiratory ailments, whilst clove ingredients show antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties. Other interesting features are the clove antithrombotic, immunostimulatory, and antibacterial effects. Thus, in this review, we discuss the potential role of clove in the frame of anti-COVID-19 therapy, focusing on the antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and antithrombotic effects of clove and its molecular constituents described in the scientific literature.