Unraveling the Mechanism of Action of Cepharanthine for the Treatment of Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia (COVID-19) from the Perspectives of Systematic Pharmacology

The study investigated the potential of cepharanthine, a natural product, in treating COVID-19 through systematic pharmacology. Researchers identified 173 potential targets and 86 intersectional targets against COVID-19. Gene Ontology enrichment analysis emphasized the role of inflammatory, immune cell, and enzyme activities, while pathway enrichment analysis identified five key signaling pathways. Molecular docking and dynamics simulations pinpointed six core targets, including ACE2 and SARS-CoV-2 3CL hydrolase, with strong binding affinities. The study concluded that cepharanthine could significantly impact SARS-CoV-2 infection treatment by targeting multiple pathways, suggesting its potential as a therapeutic agent and highlighting the need for further human studies.