An integrated computational approach towards the screening of active plant metabolites as potential inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2: an overview

COVID-19 and its causative organism SARS-CoV-2 paralyzed the world and was designated a pandemic by the World Health Organization in March 2020. The worldwide health system is trying to discover an effective therapeutic measure since no clinically authorized medications are present. Screening of plant-derived pharmaceuticals may be a viable technique to fight COVID-19 in this vital situation. This review discusses the potential application of in silico approaches in developing new therapeutic molecules related to preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection. Also, it describes the binding affinity of various phytoconstituents with distinct SARS-CoV-2 target sites. In this perspective, an extensive literature survey was carried out to find the potential phytoconstituents to develop new therapeutic entities to treat COVID-19 in different online academic databases and books. Data retrieved from databases were analyzed and interpreted to conclude that many phytochemicals will bind with the 3-chymotrypsin-like (3CLpro) and papain-like proteases (PL(pro)), spike glycoprotein, ACE-2, NSP15-endoribonuclease, and E protein targets of SARS-CoV-2 main protease using in silico molecular docking approach. The present investigations reveal that phytoconstituents such as curcumin, apigenin, chrysophanol, and gingerol are significantly binding with spike glycoprotein; laurolistine, acetoside, etc. are bound with M(pro) for anti-SARS-CoV-2 therapies. Using virtual applications of in silico studies, the current study constitutes a progressive data analysis on the mechanism of binding efficiency of distinct classes of plant metabolites against the active sites of SARS-CoV-2. Furthermore, the current review also demonstrates the fundamental necessity of the alternative and complementary medicine for future therapeutic uses of phytoconstituents by phytochemists in the fight against COVID-19.