Possible Effect of Aromatic Plants and Essential Oils against COVID-19: Review of Their Antiviral Activity
Damien S. T. Tshibangu, Aristote Matondo, Emmanuel M. Lengbiye, Clément L. Inkoto, Etienne M. Ngoyi, Carlos N. Kabengele, Gédéon N. Bongo, Benjamin Z. Gbolo, Jason T. Kilembe, Domaine T. Mwanangombo, Clément M. Mbadiko, Shetonde O. Mihigo, Dorothée D. Tshilanda, Koto-Te-Nyiwa Ngbolua, Pius T. Mpiana
Journal of Complementary and Alternative Medical Research · pp. 10–22 · Published 26 Sep 2020
10.9734/jocamr/2020/v11i130175Abstract
Aim: Till now, no specific treatment is available for COVID-19. This work is carried out with the aim of verifying in the literature the antiviral properties of aromatic plants and essential oils that can justify their use against the causative agent of COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2. Methodology: The literature review was based mainly on the usual databases such as PubMed, PubMed Central., Science Direct, SCIELO, DOAJ, Science alert, Semantic scholar and Google scholar. Results: A survey of literature reveals that aromatic plants and their essential oils are active against a large number of viruses (Herpes virus-1, Herpes virus-2, HIV, Adeno virus, Hepatite B Virus, Enterovirus 71, JUNV, etc.) and even against SARS-CoV-1 which has 96% of the same genetic background with SARS-CoV-2. Conclusion: Aromatic plants and their essential oils exhibit high antiviral activities against several types of viruses. This evidence stemming from several experimental studies means that some compounds derived from essential oils could act as inhibitors of COVID-19. Molecular docking investigations and pharmacoinformatics of some compounds derived from essential oils with SARS-CoV-2 protease are in progress to identify the potential inhibitors of the virus.
References (42)
- 1 Correspondence - Tranexamic acid for traumatic brain injury [DOI]
- 2 Essential Oils’ Chemical Characterization and Investigation of Some Biological Activities: A Critical Review [DOI]
- 3 Review of the 2019 novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) based on current evidence [DOI]
- 4 Ribavirin, Remdesivir, Sofosbuvir, Galidesivir, and Tenofovir against SARS-CoV-2 RNA dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp): A molecular docking study [DOI]
- 5 Essential Oils as Antimicrobial Agents—Myth or Real Alternative? [DOI]
- 6 Antiviral Natural Products and Herbal Medicines [DOI]
- 7 Biological activities of the essential oils and methanol extract of Origanum vulgare ssp. vulgare in the Eastern Anatolia region of Turkey [DOI]
- 8 Essential Oils of Aromatic Plants with Antibacterial, Antifungal, Antiviral, and Cytotoxic Properties – an Overview [DOI]
- 9 Antiviral activities of extracts and selected pure constituents of Ocimum basilicum [DOI]
- 10 Journal of Molecular Graphics and Modelling
- 11 Screening for Antiviral Activities of Isolated Compounds from Essential Oils [DOI]
- 12 Virucidal effect of peppermint oil on the enveloped viruses herpes simplex virus type 1 and type 2 in vitro [DOI]
- 13 Phytochemical Analysis and in vitro Antiviral Activities of the Essential Oils of Seven Lebanon Species [DOI]
- 14 Chemical composition of 8 eucalyptus species' essential oils and the evaluation of their antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral activities [DOI]
- 15 Traditional medicinal plants used for respiratory disorders in Pakistan: a review of the ethno-medicinal and pharmacological evidence [DOI]
- 16 Identification of potential inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 main protease from Aloe vera compounds: A molecular docking study [DOI]
- 17 In vitro antiviral activity of twenty-seven medicinal plant extracts from Southwest Nigeria against three serotypes of echoviruses [DOI]
- 18 Seasonal variations in chemical composition and fumigant activity of five Eucalyptus essential oils against three moth pests of stored dates in Tunisia [DOI]
- 19 Plant products as topical microbicide candidates: assessment of in vitro and in vivo activity against herpes simplex virus type 2 [DOI]
- 20 Inactivation of HSV-1 and HSV-2 and prevention of cell-to-cell virus spread by Santolina insularis essential oil [DOI]
- 21 Inhibitory effect of essential oils obtained from plants grown in Colombia on yellow fever virus replication in vitro [DOI]
- 22 Virucidal activity of essential oils from aromatic plants of San Luis, Argentina [DOI]
- 23 Antiviral activity of lignans and their glycosides from Justicia procumbens [DOI]
- 24 Antimicrobial activity of Artemisia douglasiana leaf essential oil [DOI]
- 25 Antiherpevirus activity of Artemisia arborescens essential oil and inhibition of lateral diffusion in Vero cells [DOI]
- 26 Chemical Compositions, Antiviral and Antioxidant Activities of Seven Essential Oils
- 27 Evaluation of Chemical and Antiviral Properties of Essential Oils from South American Plants [DOI]
- 28 Chemical Composition, Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Activities of Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis L.) Essential Oil [DOI]
- 29 Phytochemical and Pharmacological Review on Laurus Nobilis
- 30 Anesthetic activity and bio-guided fractionation of the essential oil of Aloysia gratissima (Gillies & Hook.) Tronc. in silver catfish Rhamdia quelen [DOI]
- 31 Aloe vera (L.) Burm. F. as a Potential Anti-COVID-19 Plant: A Mini-review of Its Antiviral Activity [DOI]
- 32 α-methylation and α-fluorination electronic effects on the regioselectivity of carbonyl groups of uracil by H and triel bonds in the interaction of U, T and 5FU with HCl and TrH3 (Tr = B, Al) [DOI]
- 33 Interactions between temozolomide and guanine and its S and Se-substituted analogues [DOI]
- 34 Review on Ethno-botany, Virucidal Activity, Phytochemistry and Toxicology of Solanum genus: Potential Bio-resources for the Therapeutic Management of Covid-19 [DOI]
- 35 Essential oil of Lippia multiflora Moldenke: A review.
- 36 A Mini Review on the Phytochemistry, Toxicology and Antiviral Activity of Some Medically Interesting Zingiberaceae Species [DOI]
- 37 Comparison of Eucalyptus cinerea Essential Oils Produced by Hydrodistillation and Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Extraction [DOI]
- 38 Variation in pre-extraction processes influences the differences in chemical constituent, quantity and biochemical activities of volatile oils from Crinum jagus (Th.) D.: Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry analysis [DOI]
- 39 Essential oil composition of Terminalia ivorensis A. Chev. flowers from Northern Nigeria
- 40 Chemical composition of the leaves and stem bark ofSterculia tragacantha,Anthocleista vogeliiand leaves ofBryophyllum pinnatum [DOI]
- 41 Composition of the Essential Oils ofTessaria absinthioides(Hook et Arn.) D. Candole [DOI]
- 42 Isolona hexaloba Engl. & Diels: Phytochemistry, Pharmacology and Future Directions: A Mini-Review [DOI]
Cited by 50
Aristote Matondo, Jason T. Kilembe, Etienne M. Ngoyi, Carlos N. Kabengele, Giresse N. Kasiama, Emmanuel M. Lengbiye, Clément M. Mbadiko, Clément L. Inkoto, Gédéon N. Bongo, Benjamin Z. Gbolo, Clarisse M. Falanga, Domaine T. Mwanangombo, Daniel O. Opota, Damien S. T. Tshibangu, Dorothée D. Tshilanda, Koto-Te-Nyiwa Ngbolua, Pius T. Mpiana · International Journal of Pathogen Research · 2021
Gabriel Mongulu Monatu, Aimé Jospin Mongulu Biluki, Robert Kabemba Saliboko · REVUE DES SCIENCES DE LA SANTE · 2026
Colette Masengo Ashande, Ruphin Djolu Djolu, Modeste Ndaba Modeawi · Revue Africaine d'Ethnobiologie & Ethnomédecine · 2025
Magdalena Zdanowicz, M. Barczewski, M. Mizielińska · Polymers · 2025
Vildan Betul Yenigun, Ebru Kanımdan, A. Koçyiğit · ChemistrySelect · 2025
A. Kiełtyka-Dadasiewicz, Javier Esteban, A. Jabłońska-Trypuć · Pharmaceuticals · 2024
S. Hasan, Mostafa M. Abo Elsoud, N. Sidkey · International Journal of Biological Macromolecules · 2024
Dona Octavia, N. Wijayanto, Sri Wilarso Budi · Indonesian Journal of Forestry Research · 2023
I. Oktavianawati, M. Santoso, M. Bakar · Applied Biological Chemistry · 2023
S. Selim, M. Albqmi, A. Alanazi · Cogent Food & Agriculture · 2023
Showing 30 of 50 known citations — external sources report more than can currently be individually listed.
Related research
- Naturally Available Essential Oils for Aromatherapy — shares topic coverage
- In vitro Screening of Antibacterial and Antioxidant Activities of Essential Oils from Four Moroccan Medicinal Plants — shares topic coverage
- Anti-Shiga Toxin Producing Escherichia coli O157:H7 Effect of Ocimum basilicum L. Essential Oil Analyzed Using Time Kill Assay in a Batch Culture — shares topic coverage
- Volatile Components and Antibacterial Profile of Essential Oils Extracted from Leaves and Twigs of Pistacia lentiscus L. — shares topic coverage
- Antibacterial Effects of Oregano Essential Oil (OEO) and Its Potential Applications — shares topic coverage
Article metrics
Real usage data collected on this platform.
59
Page views
0
PDF downloads
5
Outbound clicks
50
Citations
Views over time
Views by country
Approximate, from request IP at view time — not citizenship or institution. Countries with fewer than 5 views are grouped as "Other".
Traffic sources
Referring site, by host.
Views and downloads exclude known bots/crawlers. Citations combines this platform's own DOI-resolved index with each external source's own reported total — see Cited by above for individually listed citing works. Last refreshed 0 seconds ago.