AN INSIGHT INTO THE PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT OF SEVERE ADVERSE RESPIRATORY SYNDROME SARS COV- 2 (COVID 19) FROM MODERN MEDICINES AND ANTIVIRALS ALTERNATIVES FROM NATURAL PRODUCTS IN LOW MIDDLE INCOME COUNTRIES

Charles Fokunang*, Estella Tembe Fokunang, Eric Baaboh Fokunang, Marceline Djuidje Ngounoue, Eustace Bongham Berinyuy , Borgia Nono Njinkio, Agbor Michael Agbor, Rose Ngono Abondo, Nole Tsabang, Gerald Ngo Teke, John Dobgima Fonmboh, Bathelemy Ngameni, Clinton Eyong, Carlson Wandum, Joseph Banji Fokunang, Andrew Banin Nyuyki, Aubin Nanfack, Joseph Fokam, Pierre Zogo Ongolo, Lovet Bengyella Fokunang, Julius Nwobegahay, Denis Manga Tebit, Nubia Kaba, Ralf Duerr, Ndjolo Alexis Marie-Thérèse Abena Ondoua and Bonaventure Tchaleu Ngadjui

ABSTRACT

Viral infections play a significant role in the evolution of human diseases, and the recent outbreaks of Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-Cov-2), the causal agent of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in the advent of globalization have underscored their prevention as a critical issue in safeguarding public health. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) as a Public Health Emergency of international concern on the 30th January 2020. There are currently reported cases worldwide, with early cases from China and countries in Europe like Italy, Spain,and the USA. COVID 19 is a serious threat to low middleincome countries (LMIC), most especially the migratory or displaced population due to wars and other natural disasters. The resource-limited countries are particularly vulnerable to the spread of COVID-19 with an anticipated knock-on effect in primary health services. Herbal products have formed the basis for the treatment of diseases in traditional medicine systems for thousands of years,and continue to play a major role in the primary health care for over 80 % of the world's population. Natural medicines also have a role in the prevention and management of viruses, like influenza and respiratory illnesses, and can support the general public health preventive measures. This writeup was motivated by the search for a collective approach in resource-poor countries the approach in prevention and management of COVID 19 using modern classical therapy and natural herbal. The challenges of ethical and regulatory issues in the use of treatment protocols not yet approved for COVID 19 and the use of alternative natural products has been discussed in this paper.A data mining approach was used to source out potential published works in this domain since the outbreak of SARS 2002, by the experts in natural product and herbal medicine research. This data mining helped us to relate some of these findings with herbal products reported in Cameroon pharmacopeia. From our review, it was evident that Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has developed alternative and complementary therapy for the Corona virus since the early 2000s that are effectively in use. In Cameroon also, some studies on related plants have been pooled together that could stimulate future studies on antivirals from the Cameroonian traditional pharmacopeia.

Keywords: Antiviral, Herbal medicines, COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Natural products, respiratory virus, low medium income countries.