A review of antiviral potential of phytochemicals from medicinal herbs

Viral infections, in particular infections associated with hepatitis A, B, and C viruses, human immunodeficiency virus, and emerging and chronic viruses, such as Covid-19, have challenged human survival. As a result, the discovery of new antiviral drugs is of great importance. In this regard, the use of medicinal plants can be considered a useful method in the treatment of these diseases, because medicinal plants have been used for centuries to treat various diseases almost anywhere in the world. They offer features such as high chemical diversity, lower production costs, and milder side effects compared to conventional therapies. In recent decades, significant studies have been conducted on the use of medicinal plants in the treatment of viral diseases, and the results have shown that the compounds extracted from plants have a wide range of antiviral activity. The present study is an overview of the use of herbal medicines in the treatment of viral diseases, the mechanism of action, as well as the challenges that the scientific community faces in the detailed research on each of the plant compounds.