Research progress on active compounds against pathogenic coronaviruses and their potential target proteins

ABSTRACT

Human pathogenic coronaviruses can be divided into seven types, namely HCoV-229E, HCoV-OC43, HCoV-HKUl, HCoV-NL63, SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2. Among them, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), which are caused by the last three coronaviruses respectively, are enormous threats that challenge human health and social and economic development. Despite the huge investment in drug development for pathogenic coronaviruses, there is no specifically effective anti-coronavirus drug approved so far. In this review we systematically summarize 146 representative anti-coronavirus active compounds reported in the past 20 years and list 26 potential target proteins involved in the process of viral infection and replication. In addition, we predict the target proteins of those active compounds with unclear antiviral activity mechanisms. We hope that the information will be useful to accelerate the development of new anti-coronavirus drugs. © 2020 Zhonghua Yixuehui Zazhishe. All rights reserved.