Scientists have discovered a natural compound lurking in a Brazilian tree that attacks the coronavirus from multiple angles at once, potentially offering a new avenue for antiviral development that could outsmart drug resistance.
Researchers extracted galloylquinic acids from the leaves of Copaifera lucens Dwyer, a species native to Brazil's Atlantic Forest, and found the molecules capable of disrupting SARS-CoV-2 in several distinct ways. Rather than targeting a single viral protein like most existing antivirals, these compounds interfere with the virus at multiple stages of infection, from entry into cells to replication and protein production.
The work was led by Jairo Kenupp Bastos of the Ribeirão Preto School of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of São Paulo, who had already spent years studying medicinal properties of plants in the Copaifera genus. That prior knowledge guided the team's decision to investigate this particular species in detail.
In laboratory tests, the compounds proved safe for healthy cells and showed clear activity against the virus in plaque reduction assays, which measure how effectively a substance neutralizes viral particles. The team then drilled down into the mechanics, examining how galloylquinic acids interact with critical viral machinery: the spike protein's receptor-binding domain that lets the virus invade human cells, papain-like protease that helps the virus hide from immunity, and RNA polymerase that drives replication.
Mohamed Abdelsalam, an assistant professor at Delta University of Science and Technology in Egypt, co-led the biological studies alongside Professor Lamiaa A. Al-Madboly of Tanta University and Associate Professor Rasha M. El-Morsi of Delta University. The team found that galloylquinic acids act as what researchers call dual inhibitors, blocking multiple targets simultaneously.
The multi-target approach carries a strategic advantage. Because the compounds hit several viral proteins at once rather than just one, the virus faces a higher barrier to developing resistance. Current antivirals that focus narrowly on a single protein create evolutionary pressure that allows the virus to adapt and escape.
Results published in Scientific Reports also suggest the compounds may reduce inflammation and modulate immune response, potentially offering benefit beyond direct antiviral action, particularly in severe COVID cases.
Before these findings translate into an actual treatment, researchers need to test the compounds in living organisms and eventually conduct human clinical trials. But the discovery underscores a broader principle: biodiversity in tropical regions harbors untapped pharmaceutical potential. Brazil's Atlantic Forest alone contains thousands of plant species that remain largely unstudied for medicinal value.
The research was supported by FAPESP, a foundation that funds research in São Paulo state.
Author Jessica Williams: "This is exactly the kind of multi-target strategy that could actually stay ahead of viral evolution, and it came from exploring a tree most drug companies would never bother looking at."
Comments