Inhibitory Potential of Medicinal Plants Against Viral Pathogens and their Putative Modes of Action

Plants are useful as food and drugs to human beings. People are becoming progressively conscious of complications with the abuse and over prescription of conventional antibiotics. Plant extracts can be good alternative in day-to-day illness instead of antibiotics misuse. Complementary and alternative medicines are good option for treatment of routine ailments. Complexes and constituents with antiviral activity exists in numerous plants, for instance, rutin, a flavonoid glycoside generally found in a range of botanicals, is efficient against herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), and influenza A virus. Ascorbic acid, beta carotene and lots of phenolics play active parts in decreasing inflammation, postponing aging, and averting certain kinds of carcinomas. There are some phenolic compounds such as tannins, flavonoids, vitamins and lignins derived from plants acts as antioxidants. In this review article, we discussed upon history of use of plants as medicine, role of plants in viral infections, and anti-viral effects of various plants.