Plaque formation data corresponding to Fig 2D.

Coronavirus can induce various diseases, from mild common cold to severe COVID-19. Coronavirus can be continuously prevalent, similar to the influenza virus, due to its frequent mutation of the RNA genome. Therefore, diverse methods are required to treat coronavirus-related diseases. Chrysanthemum zawadskii, found in Asian countries including Korea, has been traditionally used to treat various diseases, including cough, pneumonia, and common cold. However, the antiviral effects of Chrysanthemum zawadskii have not been reported yet. Here, we demonstrated that Chrysanthemum zawadskii ethanol extract (CZE) treatment interferes with the replication of alpha-coronavirus (HCoV-229E) and beta-coronavirus (HCoV-OC43). CZE treatment ameliorates beta-coronavirus-induced cytotoxicity and reduces plaque formation. CZE treatment inhibits the coronavirus protein and RNA expression, indicating CZE inhibits coronavirus replication. HPLC analysis showed that CZE contains many antiviral compounds, such as luteolin and isochlorogenic acid. These results indicate that CZE is a potent medicinal herb for treating coronavirus-related diseases.

冠状病毒可引发多种疾病，轻症可表现为普通感冒，重症则可发展为新型冠状病毒肺炎（COVID-19）。冠状病毒与流感病毒类似，因其RNA基因组频繁发生突变，可持续流行传播。因此，亟需开发多种手段以治疗冠状病毒相关疾病。

查瓦茨基菊（Chrysanthemum zawadskii）广泛分布于包括韩国在内的亚洲国家，传统上被用于治疗咳嗽、肺炎、普通感冒等多种疾病。然而目前尚未有关于其抗病毒功效的相关报道。本研究证实，查瓦茨基菊乙醇提取物（Chrysanthemum zawadskii ethanol extract，CZE）可干扰α冠状病毒（alpha-coronavirus, HCoV-229E）与β冠状病毒（beta-coronavirus, HCoV-OC43）的复制过程。CZE可缓解β冠状病毒诱导的细胞毒性，并减少病毒噬斑形成。CZE可抑制冠状病毒的蛋白与RNA表达，提示其可阻断冠状病毒的复制进程。高效液相色谱（High Performance Liquid Chromatography, HPLC）分析结果显示，CZE中含有多种抗病毒成分，如木犀草素（luteolin）与异绿原酸（isochlorogenic acid）。上述结果表明，CZE是一种可用于治疗冠状病毒相关疾病的有效药用草本植物。