Re-Evaluation of Antiviral Activities of Traditional Medicines in the Era of Emerging Infectious Diseases

The field of traditional medicine, with its deep historical roots, offers a multitude of natural compounds with potential therapeutic benefits. Lately, emerging infectious diseases have posed substantial global health challenges, highlighting the urgent need for effective antiviral strategies. While modern medicine continues to evolve, there has been a growing interest in revisiting traditional medicines to explore their antiviral properties. The wealth of knowledge stored in ancient medicinal practices presents an invaluable resource that may provide solutions to contemporary viral threats. However, the efficacy and safety of these traditional remedies in the context of modern infectious diseases remain under-explored.

This Research Topic aims to comprehensively reassess the antiviral properties of traditional medicines with a focus on how they may address current and emerging infectious diseases. By systematically evaluating these historical remedies, our objective is to uncover new antiviral agents and therapeutic strategies that can complement existing medical approaches. Key questions include identifying the active ingredients within traditional medicines that hold antiviral potential and understanding their mechanisms of action against both known and novel viruses. Antiviral agents from plants and fungi are most commonly used in topical applications, and as an adjuvant treatment is applied systemically (e.g. as immunstimulants). Both foci are welcome, as are studies assessing the effects of traditional medicines or pure plant or fungal metabolites.

To gather further insights in assessing and validating the antiviral efficacy of traditional medicines, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:

Pharmacological evaluations of traditional antiviral formulations.

Laboratory and clinical studies focusing on isolated compounds from traditional remedies.

Exploration of synergistic effects between traditional medicines and conventional antiviral drugs.

Investigations into the mechanisms by which traditional nations combat viruses, including the modulation of immune responses.

Addressing safety concerns and regulatory challenges of incorporating traditional medicines into modern healthcare frameworks.

Please note:

We encourage the submission of original research articles, reviews, methodological papers, perspectives, and case reports that address the challenges and opportunities at the intersection of AI, big data, and ethnomedicinal plant-based drug discovery.

Studies must follow the Four Pillars of Best Practice in Ethnopharmacology and ConPhyMP guidelines (Front. Pharmacol. 13:953205; https://ga-online.org/best-practice), and both in experimental and AI-based studies must include detailed information on plant material. For experimental studies the identification, extraction, and processing methods must be described in such detail that the studies are reproducible. Submissions based solely on in silico predictions of alleged ‘actives’ will not be considered (e.g. docking studies, network analyses). Such studies must include in vitro, in vivo, or clinical assessments.