QUST AL HINDI (SAUSSUREA LAPPA): A NARRATIVE REVIEW OF ITS PHYTOCHEMISTRY AND PHARMACOLOGICAL POTENTIAL AGAINST COVID-19

Abstract

In 2020, the World Health Organization officially designated Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) to be global pandemic. Response of immune to SARS-CoV-2 infection includes a hyper-inflammatory state. Saussurea lappa is a medical plant known in several traditional medical systems, such as Persian and Indian medicine. S. lappa has anticancer, antiviral, antirheumatic, anti-inflammatory, and hepatoprotective properties as clinically demonstrated. The purpose of this article to analyze the content of chemical compounds and possible pharmacological activities to fight COVID-19. As primary data sources for this study, researchers looked at articles about the possibility of Saussurea lappa as an alternative in the treatment of COVID-19. Data were gathered online through various academic papers published from 2012 to 2022 derived from the PubMed and Google Scholar databases. One of the components of Saussurea lappa is myrcene which might act on ACE receptors. SARS-CoV-2 enters cells via endocytosis after binding to the ACE2 receptor. The anti-inflammatory properties of Saussurea lappa can be used to treat COVID-19 by reducing inflammatory cytokinins (TNF-α, IL-1β). Further study and clinical trials are needed to prove the effectiveness of Saussurea lappa against COVID-19 patients. Saussurea lappa has a important role in treating COVID-19 based on the effects of active phytochemical compounds that have anti-inflammatory activity, antioxidant, immunomodulator, antcancer, antihepatotoxic, and antihipertension. The Qust al Hindi has not yet been a final drug for the treatment of COVID-19 for it must go through clinical trials on COVID-19 patients directly.