Sponge biodiversity and morphotypes at the lip the wall site in 60 feet of water. Included are the yellow tube sponge, Aplysina fistularis, the purple vase sponge, Niphates digitalis, the red encrusting sponge, Spiratrella coccinea, and the gray rope sponge, Callyspongia sp. Caribbean Sea, Cayman Islands. Credit: NOAA
Key points:
- A study reveals a B.C. sea sponge is able to prevent COVID-19 infection in human cells.
- The researchers found 26 compounds made from natural sources were able to reduce viral infections such as SARS-CoV-2.
- Researchers plan to test the compounds in animal models within the next six months.
University of British Columbia (UBC) researchers identified three compounds derived from natural sources, including a British Columbia sea sponge that can prevent COVID-19 infection in human cells. Given nature’s abundance, the discovery could pave the way for the development of new COVID-19 variant medicines made from natural sources and the discovery of a slew of new antivirals.
In a study published in Antiviral Research, an international team of researchers investigated more than 350 compounds derived from natural sources, including plants, fungi and marine sponges, in hopes of finding new antiviral drugs that can be utilized to treat COVID-19 variants.
The researchers first bathed the human lung cells in solutions made from 26 compounds that were found to reduce viral infection in the cells. They then infected the cells with SARS-CoV-2. Three of the compounds were found effective in very small doses.
“The advantage of these compounds is that they are targeting the cells, rather than the virus, blocking the virus from replicating and helping the cell to recover,” said co-first author Jimena Pérez-Vargas, a research associate in the department of microbiology and immunology. “Human cells evolve more slowly than viruses, so these compounds could work against future variants and other viruses such as influenza if they use the same mechanisms.”
The researchers used a version of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes cells to glow fluorescent green when infected, and a special screening technique to identify the top 26 natural compounds that showed inhibition of COVID-19 infection.
The three most effective compounds were found in Canada including: alotaketal C from a sea sponge; bafilomycin D from marine bacteria and holyrine A from marine bacteria.
“We’ve been collecting things for 40 years all over the world, but these three just happen to be Canadian, and two are from B.C.,” said co-author Raymond Andersen, professor in the department of chemistry.
Further testing showed the three compounds were effective against the delta variant and several omicron variants, and they are about as safe for human cells as current COVID-19 treatments.
The researchers plan to test the compounds in animal models within the next 6 months. They hope the research will pave the way for large-scale testing of natural medicines that can block other respiratory viruses as well.