Discovery of broad-spectrum antiviral activity in Amaryllidaceae alkaloids.

Publication date: Sep 10, 2026

RNA virus infections pose a serious threat to public health, underscoring the need for broad-spectrum antiviral agents. In this study, we screened 383 plant-derived natural products with distinctive and structurally unique frameworks. We identified three Amaryllidaceae alkaloids, haemanthamine, crinamine, and 6-hydroxycrinamine, that exhibited inhibitory activity against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in Vero E6/TMPRSS2 cells. Notably, these compounds concentration-dependently inhibited the replication of not only SARS-CoV-2 but also encephalomyocarditis virus, Sindbis virus, vesicular stomatitis virus, and influenza A virus, with antiviral activity distinguishable from cytotoxicity. These results suggest that Amaryllidaceae alkaloids possess broad-spectrum antiviral activity and are promising candidates for future antiviral drug development.

Concepts Keywords
Alkaloids Alkaloid
Biophys Amaryllidaceae Alkaloids
Encephalomyocarditis Amaryllidaceae Alkaloids
Influenza Animals
Promising Antiviral Agents
Antiviral Agents
Broad-spectrum antivirals
Chlorocebus aethiops
Crinamine
Drug Discovery
Encephalomyocarditis virus
Haemanthamine
Influenza A virus
RNA viruses
SARS-CoV-2
SARS-CoV-2
Sindbis Virus
Vero Cells
Virus Replication

Semantics

Type Source Name
disease MESH RNA virus infections
disease MESH severe acute respiratory syndrome
disease MESH vesicular stomatitis
drug DRUGBANK Influenza A virus

Original Article

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