ISSN: 2455-281X Contents lists available at http://www.albertscience.com ASIO Journal of Pharmaceutical & Herbal Medicines Research (ASIO-JPHMR) Volume 6, Issue 2; 2020; 68-77 DOI : 10.2016-19146535/ ; DOI Link :: http://doi-ds.org/doilink/10.2020-85722646/ Page68 A REVIEW ON THE USE OF HERBAL REMEDIES AND CLINICAL THERAPEUTICS FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC Odangowei Inetiminebi Ogidi † †Department of Biochemistry, School of Applied Sciences, Federal Polytechnic Ekowe, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT Review Article History Received: 26 th September, 2020 Accepted: 9 th October, 2020 Corresponding Author: † Odangowei Inetiminebi Ogidi, Department of Biochemistry, School of Applied Sciences, Federal Polytechnic Ekowe, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by a novel coronavirus now referred to as severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which was first identified amid an outbreak of respiratory illness cases in Wuhan City, China. The rapid spread of COVID-19 was characterized as a pandemic by the World Health Organization on 11 March, 2020. As of the time of submission, there were over 36 million confirmed global cases in 188 countries and territories. Around 27 million people had recovered while over one million deaths recorded. The United States, Brazil, and Mexico have been among the countries hardest hit by the pandemic. Currently, there is no dedicated treatment for this disease, due to its broad clinical spectrum. While vaccine and drug development studies are continuing all over the world, available antiviral drugs and clinical therapy options are tested against SARS- CoV-2. Moreover, inspired by previous experience, herbal remedies are considered one of the alternative approaches in the treatment of COVID-19. Some natural herbal compounds have demonstrated encouraging anti-viral properties. Hence, this review of the potency of known antiviral drugs and herbal remedies with proven safety records is a quicker, reliable and more efficient way of developing new drugs or vaccines to combat COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak worldwide. Keywords: Herbal remedies, clinical therapy, COVID-19, Management, Pandemic, WHO. © www.albertscience.com, All Right Reserved. Contact No.:+2347030081566 E-mail: ogidiodangowei@gmail.com 1. INTRODUCTION Infectious diseases are a major global problem and are still causing substantial morbidity and mortality despite considerable developments in medical sciences. Particularly, advancement in anti-viral therapy is hampered by the emergence of mutants capable of overcoming the effects of drugs that target viral components [1]. Coronaviruses (CoV) (Family: Coronaviridae; subfamily: Coronavirinae). Coronavirinae consists of four genera as Alpha-coronavirus, Beta- coronavirus, Gamma-coronavirus and Delta-coronavirus. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS- CoV-2) which belongs to Beta-coronavirus genus is an enveloped virus containing a single-stranded Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) genome. In genomic analysis, 79% similarity between SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV has been determined [2]. These viruses are pleomorphic particles with sizes ranging from 80 to 120 nm in diameter [3]. Their entire replication cycle takes place in the cytoplasm. Research findings indicated that the CoV envelope is involved in critical aspects of the viral life cycle, and that CoVs lacking CoV envelope make promising vaccine candidates [4]. Coronaviruses are able to cause a number of diseases, including bronchitis, gastroenteritis, hepatitis, systemic diseases, and even death in birds, humans, and other animals [5]. Moreover, CoVs were found to be the causative agents of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV-2). A novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID- 19), also referred to as SARS-CoV-2, has caused an international outbreak of acute respiratory illness. The rapid spread of COVID-19 was characterized as a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 11 March 2020 [6]. Over 36 million infections confirmed in 188 countries and territories, with over one million fatalities while more than 27 million people have recovered to date. Currently, there are no specific therapeutic agents for this disease, due to its broad clinical spectrum. Inspired by previous experience, herbal medicine is considered one of the alternative approaches in the treatment of COVID-19. In China, the National Health Commission has declared the use of herbal medicine combined with Western medicine as a treatment for