Abstract
Viruses have a high mutation rate, and, thus, there is a continual emergence of new
antiviral-resistant strains. Therefore, it becomes imperative to explore and develop
new antiviral compounds continually. The search for pharmacological substances of
plant origin that are effective against animal viruses, which have a high mortality
rate or cause large economic losses, has garnered interest in the last few decades.
This systematic review compiles 130 plant species that exhibit antiviral activity
on 37 different virus species causing serious diseases in animals. The kind of extract,
fraction, or compound exhibiting the antiviral activity and the design of the trial
were particularly considered for review. The literature revealed details regarding
plant species exhibiting antiviral activities against pathogenic animal virus species
of the following families–Herpesviridae, Orthomyxoviridae, Paramyxoviridae, Parvoviridae, Poxviridae, Nimaviridae,
Coronaviridae,
Reoviridae , and Rhabdoviridae– that cause infections, among others, in poultry, cattle, pigs, horses, shrimps, and
fish. Overall, 30 plant species exhibited activity against various influenza viruses,
most of them causing avian influenza. Furthermore, 30 plant species were noted to
be active against Newcastle disease virus. In addition, regarding the pathogens most
frequently investigated, this review provides a compilation of 20 plant species active
against bovine herpesvirus, 16 against fowlpox virus, 12 against white spot syndrome
virus in marine shrimps, and 10 against suide herpesvirus. Nevertheless, some plant
extracts, particularly their compounds, are promising candidates for the development
of new antiviral remedies, which are urgently required.
Key words antiviral - plant - animal - herb -
Herpesviridae
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Orthomyxoviridae
