Marine Natural Products as Leads against SARS-CoV-2 Infection

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Bhuwan K Chhetri, Georgia Institute of Technology; Philip Tedbury, Emory University; Anne Marie Sweeney-Jones, Georgia Institute of Technology; Luke Mani, University of the South Pacific; Katy Soapi, University of the South Pacific; Candela Manfredi, Emory University; Eric Sorscher, Emory University; Stefan Sarafianos, Emory University; Julia Kubanek, Georgia Institute of Technology
• Language: English
• Date: 2022-03-25
• Publisher: AMER CHEMICAL SOC
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © 2022 American Chemical Society and American Society of Pharmacognosy
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.jnatprod.2c00015
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: JOURNAL OF NATURAL PRODUCTS
• Volume: 85
• Issue: 3
• Start Page: 657
• End Page: 665
• Keywords: PROTEASE INHIBITION; HALICLONACYCLAMINES; DISCOVERY; FASCAPLYSIN; ALKALOIDS; Science & Technology; Pharmacology & Pharmacy; HYDROQUINONE; Plant Sciences; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; STACHYFLIN; Chemistry, Medicinal; CORONAVIRUS; EFFICACY; REPLICATION
• Research Categories: Health Sciences, Pharmacology

Abstract

Since early 2020, disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has become a global pandemic, causing millions of infections and deaths worldwide. Despite rapid deployment of effective vaccines, it is apparent that the global community lacks multipronged interventions to combat viral infection and disease. A major limitation is the paucity of antiviral drug options representing diverse molecular scaffolds and mechanisms of action. Here we report the antiviral activities of three distinct marine natural products-homofascaplysin A (1), (+)-aureol (2), and bromophycolide A (3)-evidenced by their ability to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 replication at concentrations that are nontoxic toward human airway epithelial cells. These compounds stand as promising candidates for further exploration toward the discovery of novel drug leads against SARS-CoV-2.