Disruption of the nucleocapsid-RNA condensation by punicalagin is a broad-spectrum antiviral approach

SARS-CoV-2 infection triggers immune responses that can lead to severe disease. Identifying compounds that modulate these responses is critical for developing effective treatments. This study investigates the antiviral and immunomodulatory effects of punicalagin in human A549 cells infected with SARS-CoV-2.In the in vitro experiments, A549 cells were treated with punicalagin for 1 hour, followed by exposure to either viral RNA for 6 hours or SARS-CoV-2 nCoV-SH01 (MOI = 1) for 1 hour. Control groups consisted of cells exposed to viral RNA or SARS-CoV-2 without punicalagin treatment. RNA sequencing was performed on total RNA extracted from treated and control cells to analyze gene expression changes associated with immune responses, inflammation, and viral replication.This study highlights the potential of punicalagin to modulate immune responses, reduce inflammation, and inhibit viral replication during SARS-CoV-2 infection. These findings offer valuable insights for the development of antiviral therapies against COVID-19.