Herbal Compounds from Syzygium aromaticum and Cassia acutifolia as a Shield against SARS-CoV-2 Mpro: a Molecular Docking Approach

Abstract

Novel coronavirus (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; SARS-CoV-2) was first identified in China in December 2019. Currently, the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is the most infectious disease worldwide. In the absence of a vaccine or drug, herbal compounds may be used to treat or control this disease. To explore novel potent inhibitors that suppress this virus's growth, we performed molecular docking studies on SARS-CoV-2 Mpro using 17 effective herbal compounds, along with three reference drugs. Docking results showed that crategolic acid from Syzygium aromaticum (clove) had the highest binding affinity with SARS-CoV-2 Mpro protease, followed by sennoside (A, B, C, and D) compounds from Cassia acutifolia (Sana Makki). Crategolic acid and sennoside (A, B, C, and D) contain amino acid residues and hydrogen bonds involved in the protein-ligand interaction. The present study confirms that crategolic acid and sennoside represent the strongest potential inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro. This study's results may help in vivo studies validate the usefulness of compounds from clove and Sana Makki in preparing herbal medicine for the treatment of COVID-19. This analysis supports the production of new drugs for the treatment and control of COVID-19.