A Review on Unleashing the Potentials of Natural Products in Managing Dengue

Abstract

Background/Aims: Dengue virus (DENV) spreads widely in many tropical and sub-tropical countries by Aedes sp. In recent decades, dengue has been alarmingly on the rise and affects approximately half of the world population. The current dengue treatments are still mainly supportive without any approved vaccines or effective anti-dengue drugs. This leads to an urgency to seek alternative solutions in reducing dengue morbidity and mortality. Methods: A total of 94 articles describing in vitro and in vivo studies were screened and selected through curated databases. The selected articles underpinned the potentials of natural products as alternative anti-dengue compounds. Results: Those compounds have been employed as larvicide, mosquitocide, mosquito repellents, agents in sticky traps and non-specific interventions for dengue. In this review, their direct and indirect effects on dengue virus replication and dengue diseases were deliberated. Inteestingly, the majority of them demonstrated remarkable anti-inflammatory effects on dengue diseases. Several phytochemical contents such as luteolin, coumarins and geraniin were shown to inhibit DENV replication in vitro. Conclusion: Natural product-based anti-dengue agents are believed to be less costly, easy to derive, biologically effective and less toxic. This review, therefore, aims to provide current updates and insights on the benefits of natural products in preventing, managing and treating dengue.