Discussion and prediction of application prospects of Citri Grandis Exocarpium on COVID-19 based on literature analysis and molecular docking

ABSTRACT

Objective: The present study aims to explore the application prospects of Citri Grandis Exocarpium for protecting against novel coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19). Methods: The pharmacological effects, including expectorant, anti-acute lung injury, anti-inflammatory, anti-pulmonary fibrosis, relieving cough, anti-oxidation, anti-liver injury, anti-kidney injury effects and etc, of both Citri Grandis Exocarpium and its main chemical constituents were analyzed through literature review. The constituents of Citri Grandis Exocarpium were collected by using traditional Chinese medicine systems pharmacology (TCMSP) database and literature searching. The molecular docking study was performed to evaluate the binding ability between the chemical constituents and angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), 3C-like main protease (Mpro), papain-like protease (PLP), and dendritic cell-specific ICAM-3-grabbing nonintegrin (DC-SIGN) to predict its potential activity in inhibiting the infection and replication of SARS-CoV-2 virus. Results: The literature review indicated that Citri Grandis Exocarpium possesses expectorant, anti-acute lung injury, anti-inflammatory, anti-pulmonary fibrosis, relieving cough, anti-oxidation, anti-liver injury, anti-kidney injury effects, and so on. Molecular docking results indicated that naringin, neohesperdin, rhoifolin, poncirin, and sitogluside were the main active flavonoids due to showing strong interactions with ACE2, MPro, PLP and DC-SIGN with potential activity in inhibiting the infection and replication of SARS-CoV-2 virus. Conclusion: Citri Grandis Exocarpium may probably delay the progression of COVID-19 through a variety of pharmacological activities and the inhibition of the infection and replication of SARS-CoV-2 due to targeting ACE2, MPro, PLP, and DC-SIGN, reminding that Citri Grandis Exocarpium may possess a potential capacity to protect against COVID-19.