1. The green tea catechin epigallocatechin gallate inhibits SARS-CoV-2 infection.
- Author
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Henss L, Auste A, Schürmann C, Schmidt C, von Rhein C, Mühlebach MD, and Schnierle BS
- Subjects
- Animals, Betacoronavirus drug effects, Betacoronavirus physiology, COVID-19 prevention & control, COVID-19 virology, Catechin pharmacology, Cell Survival drug effects, Chlorocebus aethiops, HEK293 Cells, Humans, Lentivirus drug effects, Lentivirus genetics, SARS-CoV-2 physiology, Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus genetics, Vero Cells, Virus Attachment drug effects, Virus Replication drug effects, Antiviral Agents pharmacology, Catechin analogs & derivatives, SARS-CoV-2 drug effects, Tea chemistry
- Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has caused a pandemic with tens of millions of cases and more than a million deaths. The infection causes COVID-19, a disease of the respiratory system of divergent severity. No treatment exists. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), the major component of green tea, has several beneficial properties, including antiviral activities. Therefore, we examined whether EGCG has antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2. EGCG blocked not only the entry of SARS-CoV-2, but also MERS- and SARS-CoV pseudotyped lentiviral vectors and inhibited virus infections in vitro . Mechanistically, inhibition of the SARS-CoV-2 spike-receptor interaction was observed. Thus, EGCG might be suitable for use as a lead structure to develop more effective anti-COVID-19 drugs.
- Published
- 2021
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