ABSTRACT
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes COVID-19. Until now, diverse drugs have been used for the treatment of COVID-19. These drugs are associated with severe side effects, e.g. induction of erythrocyte death, named eryptosis. This massively affects the oxygen (O2) supply of the organism. Therefore, three elementary aspects should be considered simultaneously: (1) a potential drug should directly attack the virus, (2) eliminate virus-infected host cells and (3) preserve erythrocyte survival and functionality. It is known that PKC-α inhibition enhances the vitality of human erythrocytes, while it dose-dependently activates the apoptosis machinery in nucleated cells. Thus, the use of chelerythrine as a specific PKC-alpha and -beta (PKC-α/-ß) inhibitor should be a promising approach to treat people infected with SARS-CoV-2.
Subject(s)
Antiviral Agents/pharmacology , Benzophenanthridines/pharmacology , COVID-19 Drug Treatment , Erythrocytes/immunology , Protein Kinase C beta/antagonists & inhibitors , Protein Kinase C-alpha/antagonists & inhibitors , Protein Kinase Inhibitors/pharmacology , Respiratory Tract Diseases/virology , Antiviral Agents/adverse effects , Antiviral Agents/therapeutic use , Apoptosis/drug effects , Benzophenanthridines/adverse effects , Benzophenanthridines/therapeutic use , COVID-19/immunology , COVID-19/metabolism , DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases/metabolism , Erythrocytes/drug effects , Erythrocytes/metabolism , Humans , Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 1/metabolism , Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 2/metabolism , Protein Biosynthesis/drug effects , Protein Kinase Inhibitors/adverse effects , Protein Kinase Inhibitors/therapeutic use , RNA Viruses/genetics , RNA Viruses/metabolism , Respiratory Tract Diseases/enzymology , Respiratory Tract Diseases/metabolismABSTRACT
COVID-19 has become disastrous for world and spread all over. Researchers all around the globe are working to discover a drug to cure from COVID-19. RNA dependent RNA polymerase plays a key role in SARS-CoV-2 replication and thus it could be a potential target for SARS-CoV-2. This study revealed that Protopine, Allocryptopine and (±) 6- Acetonyldihydrochelerythrine could be potential RdRp inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2.