2. Academic Validation
  3. Pomegranate peel extract polyphenols attenuate the SARS-CoV-2 S-glycoprotein binding ability to ACE2 Receptor: In silico and in vitro studies

Pomegranate peel extract polyphenols attenuate the SARS-CoV-2 S-glycoprotein binding ability to ACE2 Receptor: In silico and in vitro studies

  • Bioorg Chem. 2021 Sep:114:105145. doi: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2021.105145.
Relja Suručić 1,  Maja Travar 2,  Miroslav Petković 3,  Biljana Tubić 4,  Miloš P Stojiljković 5,  Milkica Grabež 6,  Katarina Šavikin 7,  Gordana Zdunić 8,  Ranko Škrbić 9
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Banja Luka, Banja Luka, The Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 2 Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Banja Luka, Banja Luka, The Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 3 Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Banja Luka, Banja Luka, The Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 4 Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Banja Luka, Banja Luka, The Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 5 Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Clinical Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Banja Luka, Banja Luka, The Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 6 Department of Hygiene, Faculty of Medicine, University of Banja Luka, The Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 7 Institute for Medicinal Plant Research "Dr Josif Pančić", Belgrade, Serbia.
  • 8 Institute for Medicinal Plant Research "Dr Josif Pančić", Belgrade, Serbia. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 9 Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Clinical Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Banja Luka, Banja Luka, The Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Electronic address: [email protected].
PMID: 34246969 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2021.105145
Abstract

The novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19) has become a major health threat globally. The interaction of SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) glycoprotein receptor-binding domain (RBD) with ACE2 receptor on host cells was recognized as the first step of virus Infection and therefore as one of the primary targets for novel therapeutics. Pomegranate extracts are rich sources of bioactive Polyphenols that were already recognized for their beneficial health effects. In this study, both in silico and in vitro methods were employed for evaluation of pomegranate peel extract (PoPEx), their major Polyphenols, as well as their major metabolite urolithin A, to attenuate the contact of S-glycoprotein RBD and ACE2. Our results showed that PoPEx, punicalin, punicalagin and urolithin A exerted significant potential to block the S-glycoprotein-ACE2 contact. These in vitro results strongly confirm the in silico predictions and provide a valuable insight in the potential of pomegranate Polyphenols for application in SARS-CoV-2 Infection.

Keywords

ACE2; Pomegranate; Punicalagin; Punicalin; SARS-CoV-2; Spike glycoprotein; Urolithin A.

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