Pharmacologic perspective: glycyrrhizin may be an efficacious therapeutic agent for COVID-19

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by a previously unknown pathogen named severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has now become a pandemic threat to the whole world. However, there are no vaccines or specific treatment against the new virus. Therefore, there is an urgent need for advancing novel therapeutic interventions for COVID-19. Glycyrrhizin, a triterpene saponine, is valuable for its various biological functions and pharmacology effects. In this brief article, we will discuss the therapeutic potential of glycyrrhizin for COVID-19 from the perspective of its pharmacological action including binding angiotensin converting enzyme II (ACE2), down-regulating proinflammatory cytokines, inhibiting the accumulation of intracellular ROS, inhibiting thrombin, inhibiting the hyperproduction of airway exudates, and inducing endogenous interferon.