An overview of traditional medicinal plants as dengue virus inhibitors

Dengue fever has caused serious health problems around the world. Continents affected include Asia, Europe, North America, and Africa. Dengue fever, dengue hemorrhagic fever, and dengue shock syndrome are diseases caused by DENV. Promising antiviral activity of medicinal plants against DENV has been reported in several experimental studies. These plants are rich in bioactive constituents that have antiviral activity. This review extensively discussed the antiviral activity of these plants against DENV and the phytoconstituents responsible for the observed effects. The review discussed possible targets of these plant extracts or phytochemicals on the biological process of the virus as a potential mechanism for the observed inhibitory effects. Harnessing plants’ chemical constituents can lead to the development of an antiviral against DENV.