Extracts from the flowers of two common wild plants block the virus that causes COVID from entering human cells.
The study, published in Scientific Reports, is the first major screening of botanical extracts to search for potency against the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the researchers say.
In laboratory dish tests, extracts from the flowers of tall goldenrod (Solidago altissima) and the rhizomes of the eagle fern (Pteridium aquilinum) each blocked SARS-CoV-2 from entering human cells.
The active compounds are only present in miniscule quantities in the plants. It would be ineffective, and potentially dangerous, for people to attempt to treat themselves with them, the researchers stress. In fact, the eagle fern is known to be toxic, they warn.
“It’s very early in the process, but we’re working to identify, isolate, and scale up the molecules from the extracts that showed activity against the virus,” says senior author Cassandra Quave, associate professor in Emory School of Medicine’s dermatology department and the Center for the Study of Human Health. “Once we have isolated the active ingredients, we plan to further test for their safety and for their long-range potential as medicines against COVID-19.”
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