Screening of Phytoresources from the Romanian Flora with medical applications against Covid - Review

Plants are an important means of combating numerous harmful influences on humans (microorganisms, viruses, fungi, etc.) and have always been used to treat various diseases. The most recent pandemic was caused by the coronavirus characterized by a high replication capacity, which led to the improvement of viral fitness. In the context of the Covid pandemic, interest in the use of plants has increased. Great importance has been given to screening plants' potential against Covid (antiviral, anti-inflammatory, immunostimulatory, and antioxidant). According to recent research, many of the plant species used against Covid are of Asian origin. In this review, we aim to discuss the plant species with these medicinal potentials, focusing on Romanian Flora, which is one of the most important European sources of wild medicinal plants. We have listed a total of 50 Phyto-resources from Romanian Flora with different potentials: 26 containing the confirmed anti-covid compounds, and 10 species having all the therapeutic vulgare, Malva sylvestris, Chelidonium majus, Plantago lanceolata are the most important due to their compounds which offer the anti- Covid, anti-inflammatory, immunostimulant, and antioxidant potentials. In the case of these species of interest, it is necessary to introduce them to both conservation and sustainable use programs, through the biotechnological techniques.