Virtual Screening of Plant Metabolites against Main protease, RNA-dependent RNA polymerase and Spike protein of SARS-CoV-2: Therapeutics option of COVID-19

Abstract: Covid-19, a serious respiratory complications caused by SARS-CoV-2 has become one of the global threat to human healthcare system. The present study evaluated the possibility of plant originated approved 117 therapeutics against the main protease protein (MPP), RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) and spike protein (S) of SARS-CoV-2 including drug surface analysis by using molecular docking through drug repurposing approaches. The molecular interaction study revealed that Rifampin (-16.3 kcal/mol) were topmost inhibitor of MPP where Azobechalcone were found most potent plant therapeutics for blocking the RdRp (-15.9 kcal /mol) and S (-14.4 kcal/mol) protein of SARS-CoV-2. After the comparative analysis of all docking results, Azobechalcone, Rifampin, Isolophirachalcone, Tetrandrine and Fangchinoline were exhibited as the most potential inhibitory plant compounds for targeting the key proteins of SARS-CoV-2. However, amino acid positions; H41, C145, and M165 of MPP played crucial roles for the drug surface interaction where F368, L371, L372, A375, W509, L514, Y515 were pivotal for RdRP. In addition, the drug interaction surface of S proteins also showed similar patterns with all of its maximum inhibitors. ADME analysis also strengthened the possibility of screened plant therapeutics as the potent drug candidates against SARS-C with the highest drug friendliness.