Therapeutic Potential of Bioactive Compounds from Edible Mushrooms to Attenuate SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Some Complications of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)

Disrupting protease and deubiquitinase activities of SARS-CoV-2 papain-like protease by natural and synthetic products discovered through multiple computational and biochemical approaches

The single-stranded RNA genome of SARS-CoV-2 encodes several structural and non-structural proteins, among which the papain-like protease (PLpro) is crucial for viral replication and immune evasion and has emerged as a promising therapeutic target. The current study aims to discover new inhibitors of PLpro that can simultaneously disrupt its protease and deubiquitinase activities. Using multiple computational approaches, six compounds (CP1-CP6) were selected from our in-house compounds database, with higher docking scores (-7.97 kcal/mol to -8.14 kcal/mol) and fitted well in the active pocket of PLpro. Furthermore, utilizing microscale molecular dynamics simulations (MD), the dynamic behavior of selected compounds was studied. Those molecules strongly binds at the PLpro active site and forms stable complexes. The dynamic motions suggest that the binding of CP1-CP6 brought the protein to a closed conformational state, thereby altering its normal function. In an in vitro evaluation, CP2 showed the most significant inhibitory potential for PLpro (protease activity = 2.71 ± 0.33 μM and deubiquitinase activity = 3.11 ± 0.75 μM), followed by CP1, CP5, CP4 and CP6. Additionally, CP1-CP6 showed no cytotoxicity at a concentration of 30 μM in the human BJ cell line.

Quest for Anti-SARS-CoV-2 antiviral therapeutics: in-silico and in-vitro analysis of edible mushroom- Cordyceps militaris

BACKGROUND

The emergence and evolution of SARS-CoV-2 resulted a severe threat to public health globally. Due to the lack of an effective vaccine with durable immunity, the disease transited into the endemic phase, necessitating potent antiviral therapy including a scientific basis for current traditional herbal medicine.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to conduct a pharmacoinformatic analysis of selected chemical ingredients and in-vitro evaluation of Cordyceps militaris extract against SARS-CoV-2.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

C. militaris, the widely used fungus in conventional herbal medicine, was subjected to computational investigation using molecular docking, molecular dynamic simulation and network pharmacology analysis followed by the in-vitro assay for evaluating its anti-SARS-CoV-2 potential.

RESULTS

The molecular docking analysis of C. militaris revealed the Cordycepin's highest affinity (-9.71 kcal/mol) than other molecules, i.e., Cicadapeptin-I, Cicadapeptin-II, Cordycerebroside-B, and N-Acetyl galactosamine to the receptor binding domain of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. C. militaris aqueous extract could reduce the SARS-CoV-2 viral copy numbers by 50.24% using crude extract at 100 μg/mL concentration.

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest that C. militaris has promising anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity and may be explored as traditional medicine for managing the COVID-19 surge in the endemic phase.

Medicinal Mushrooms as Multicomponent Mixtures-Demonstrated with the Example of Lentinula edodes

Medicinal mushrooms are multicomponent mixtures (MOCSs). They consist of a large number of individual compounds, each with different chemical structures, functions, and possible pharmacological activities. In contrast to the activity of an isolated pure substance, the effects of the individual substances in a mushroom or its extracts can influence each other; they can strengthen, weaken, or complement each other. This results in both advantages and disadvantages for the use of either a pure substance or a multicomponent mixture. The review describes the differences and challenges in the preparation, characterization, and application of complex mixtures compared to pure substances, both obtained from the same species. As an example, we use the medicinal and culinary mushroom Lentinula edodes, shiitake, and some of its isolated compounds, mainly lentinan and eritadenine.