Polyenes and SARS-CoV-2

ABSTRACT

The new coronavirus (SARS-COV-2) shows structural similarity with SARS COV, which emerged in China in the early 2019. SARS-COV-2 has been declared a pandemic by the WHO (World Health Organization) as it imposed a threat to the world in various aspects. There is no specific drug therapy or vaccine to treat or prevent this disease because of the limited knowledge regarding the pathogenesis and proliferation pathways involved in disease progression. The virus penetrates the human body through ACE2 receptor by interacting with Spike(S) protein and it is assumed that viral entry can be inhibited by targeting the protein-protein interaction. Different drugs have been repurposed for their potential effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2, such as ivermectin, digitoxin, and polyenes. Polyene antibiotics are characterized by the presence of a macrocyclic ring. Furthermore, this group has been known for pharmacological activities, for example, antifungal, antihuman immunodeficiency virus, immunomodulating, and antiprion. Polyene antibiotics inhibit the binding of the virus to the ACE2 receptor. Further investigation should be done to assess the relationship between polyenes and SARS-CoV-2 in considering the development of a novel therapeutic option for the treatment of COVID-19. © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.