Chemical compounds in food can block the function of the key SARS-CoV-2 enzyme

Chemical compounds in foods or beverages such as green tea, muscat grapes, and dark chocolate can bind and block the function of a particular enzyme, or protease, in the SARS-CoV-2 virus, according to a new study by plant biologists. of North Carolina State University.

Proteases are important for the health and vitality of cells and viruses, says De-Yu Xie, professor of plant and microbial biology at NC State and corresponding author of the study. If proteases are inhibited, cells cannot perform many important functions, such as replication, for example.

One of the goals of our laboratory is to find nutraceuticals in food or medicinal plants that inhibit the way a virus attaches itself to human cells or the spread of a virus in human cells. “

De-Yu Xie, professor of plant and microbial biology, NC State

In the study, NC State researchers performed both computer simulations and laboratory studies showing how the so-called “main protease” (Mpro) in the SARS-CoV-2 virus reacted to a number of different plant chemicals already known their powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

“Mpro in SARS-CoV-2 is necessary for the virus to replicate and assemble,” Xie said. “If we can inhibit or deactivate this protease, the virus will die.”

Computer simulations showed that the studied chemical compounds of green tea, two muscat grape varieties, cocoa powder and dark chocolate were able to bind to different portions of Mpro.

“Mpro has a portion that is like a ‘pocket’ that has been ‘filled’ by the chemicals,” Xie said. “When this pocket was filled, the protease lost its important function.”

In vitro laboratory experiments completed by Yue Zhu, Ph.D. student in Xie’s lab, showed similar results. The chemical compounds of green tea and muscat grapes have been very successful in inhibiting the function of Mpro; the chemical compounds of cocoa powder and dark chocolate reduced Mpro activity by about half.

“Green tea has five tested chemicals that bind to different sites in the Mpro pocket, essentially crushing it to inhibit its function,” Xie said. “Muscadine grapes contain these inhibitory chemicals in their skin and seeds. Plants use these compounds to protect themselves, so it’s no surprise that plant leaves and skins contain these beneficial compounds.”