Salvianolic acid C potently inhibits SARS-CoV-2 infection by blocking the formation of six-helix bundle core of spike protein

The pandemic of COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection has posed a serious threat to global public health and the economy. Up to now, although several potentially effective antiviral drugs are under evaluating in clinical trials around the world, 1 there are still no specific antiviral countermeasures beyond supportive therapies have been established. We herein report that the hydrophilic compound Salvianolic acid C (Sal-C) from Danshen, a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), potently inhibit SARS-CoV-2 infection by blocking the formation of six-helix bundle (6-HB) core of spike (S) protein.