logo
ResearchBunny Logo
Sulforaphane exhibits antiviral activity against pandemic SARS-CoV-2 and seasonal HCoV-OC43 coronaviruses in vitro and in mice

Medicine and Health

Sulforaphane exhibits antiviral activity against pandemic SARS-CoV-2 and seasonal HCoV-OC43 coronaviruses in vitro and in mice

A. A. Ordonez, C. K. Bullen, et al.

Discover the promising antiviral effects of sulforaphane (SFN), a phytochemical in cruciferous vegetables. This innovative research by Alvaro A. Ordonez and colleagues at Johns Hopkins University showcases SFN's ability to combat SARS-CoV-2 and HCoV-OC43, demonstrating significant reductions in viral load and lung injury in mice. A potential breakthrough in the prevention and treatment of coronavirus infections awaits.

00:00
00:00
~3 min • Beginner • English
Abstract
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the cause of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has incited a global health crisis. Currently, there are limited therapeutic options for the prevention and treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infections. We evaluated the antiviral activity of sulforaphane (SFN), the principal biologically active phytochemical derived from glucoraphanin, the naturally occurring precursor present in high concentrations in cruciferous vegetables. SFN inhibited in vitro replication of six strains of SARS-CoV-2, including Delta and Omicron, as well as that of the seasonal coronavirus HCoV-OC43. Further, SFN and remdesivir interacted synergistically to inhibit coronavirus infection in vitro. Prophylactic administration of SFN to K18-hACE2 mice prior to intranasal SARS-CoV-2 infection significantly decreased the viral load in the lungs and upper respiratory tract and reduced lung injury and pulmonary pathology compared to untreated infected mice. SFN treatment diminished immune cell activation in the lungs, including significantly lower recruitment of myeloid cells and a reduction in T cell activation and cytokine production. Our results suggest that SFN should be explored as a potential agent for the prevention or treatment of coronavirus infections.
Publisher
Communications Biology
Published On
Mar 18, 2022
Authors
Alvaro A. Ordonez, C. Korin Bullen, Andres F. Villabona-Rueda, Elizabeth A. Thompson, Mitchell L. Turner, Vanessa F. Merino, Yu Yan, John Kim, Stephanie L. Davis, Oliver Komm, Jonathan D. Powell, Franco R. D’Alessio, Robert H. Yolken, Sanjay K. Jain, Lorraine Jones-Brando
Tags
sulforaphane
SARS-CoV-2
HCoV-OC43
antiviral activity
phytochemical
coronavirus
pulmonary pathology
Listen, Learn & Level Up
Over 10,000 hours of research content in 25+ fields, available in 12+ languages.
No more digging through PDFs, just hit play and absorb the world's latest research in your language, on your time.
listen to research audio papers with researchbunny