Research Methods For Discovery Of Plant-Derived Therapeutics Against SARS-CoV-2

TOPICAL COLLECTIONS

Guest Editor

Nqobile Mkolo

Sefako Makgatho Health Science University

<p>Dr. Mkolo N.M., obtained her PhD in Para-clinical Sciences from the University of Pretoria, in 2020. Currently, she is affiliated with Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU) South Africa, where she serves as a Lecturer and Researcher. She has collaborated and worked in diverse Phytomedicine related fields; metabolomics, proteomics, and molecular docking in multiple settings locally and internationally. Moreover, she continues to enhance her niche area as she has/is supervised/ing and mentoring a post-Doctoral researcher, 11 MSc students, 19 honours students, and 2 PhD students. She has published in different journals locally and internationally. She is currently representing the SMU Task Team on Internationalization, the sequel to the renewed dispensation to foreground Internationalization on all fronts at SMU. Recently, she was awarded NRF Black Academics Advancement Programme (BAAP) funding and South African Medical Research Council’s (SAMRC) funding. She also received the Vice Chancellor’s Award for Best Researcher under 40 years of age provided by SMU. Her academic pedigree is further exemplified by being the Principal Investigator of a project on the Integration of metabolomic fingerprinting and molecular docking analysis of secondary metabolites of South African plants: Focus on protease (Mpro) and spike (S) glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2, funded by SAMRC.</p>

Collection Overview

The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered worldwide social and economic disturbance, with a major economic depression second to the Great Depression. Thus, different established methods and innovative approaches for mining of medicinal plants for the discovery of bioactive lead compound/s against SARS-CoV-2 are being used. The methods being used include but not limited to In silico, In vitro, and In vivo techniques. The impetus of this method collection is twofold: Firstly, to provide a visual, methodological collection for highlighting medicinal plant species that may provide a more rational phytotherapeutic choice for SARS-CoV-2. Secondly, to provide visual procedures for showcasing computer-aided techniques, and valuable tools for high-throughput screening (e.g., Omics techniques) of bioactive substances to discover new phytotherapeutic agents with high selectivity, unique modes of action, and acceptable toxicological profiles.