Flavaglines as natural products targeting eIF4A and prohibitins: From traditional Chinese medicine to antiviral activity against coronaviruses

Eur J Med Chem. 2020 Oct 1:203:112653. doi: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2020.112653. Epub 2020 Jul 15.

Abstract

Flavaglines are cyclopenta[b]benzofurans found in plants of the genus Aglaia, several species of which are used in traditional Chinese medicine. These compounds target the initiation factor of translation eIF4A and the scaffold proteins prohibitins-1 and 2 (PHB1/2) to exert various pharmacological activities, including antiviral effects against several types of viruses, including coronaviruses. This review is focused on the antiviral effects of flavaglines and their therapeutic potential against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

Keywords: COVID-19; Chikungunya virus; Coronavirus; Ebola virus; Natural products; Picornaviruses; Prohibitin; SARS-CoV-2; Zika virus; eIF4A.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Aglaia / chemistry*
  • Animals
  • Antiviral Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Biological Products / therapeutic use*
  • COVID-19
  • Coronavirus Infections / drug therapy*
  • Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-4A / drug effects
  • Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-4A / genetics*
  • Humans
  • Medicine, Chinese Traditional
  • Pandemics
  • Pneumonia, Viral / drug therapy*
  • Prohibitins
  • Repressor Proteins / drug effects
  • Repressor Proteins / genetics*

Substances

  • Antiviral Agents
  • Biological Products
  • EIF4A1 protein, human
  • PHB protein, human
  • Prohibitins
  • Repressor Proteins
  • Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-4A