**2.8** *Sutherladia frutescens*

*Sutherlandia frutescens* (**Figure 9**), also known as cancer bush, belongs to *Fabaceae* family of plants [6, 62]. It is an indigenous medicinal plant commonly used in South Africa to treat respiratory symptoms and disease such as fever and influenza (**Table 1**) and other diseases including cancers, diabetes, kidney and liver problems, rheumatism, depression, wounds, hemorrhoids, gonorrhea, urinary tract infections, and back pain [37]. Various *Sutherlandia* formulations are available in pharmacies and herbal shops and include capsules and tablets, gels, creams, liquid extracts, and ointments [37]. *S. frutescens* has been scientifically reported to have anticancer, antidiabetic, and anti-HIV properties [37, 62]. It has phytochemical constituents including sutherlandioside A, B, C and D, D-pinitol, gamma (γ) aminobutyric acid, and L-canavanine responsible for its biological

**Figure 8.** Hypoxis hemerocallidea *leaves.*

**Figure 9.** Sutherlandia frutescens. *(A) Leaves and (B) flowers.*

activities [37]. The results of molecular docking analysis identified L-canavanine (**Table 2**) present in *S. frutescens* as a potential inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2 3C-like main protease [19]. The results of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of *Sutherlandia* leaf powder in healthy adults revealed that 800 mg/day of *Sutherlandia* leaf powder capsules were safe for consumption twice per day for three months in healthy adults [63].

*Traditional Medicinal Plants as the Potential Adjuvant, Prophylactic and Treatment Therapy… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.104491*

#### **2.9** *Tinospora species*

*Tinospora crispa* (**Figure 10A**) is also known as Seruntum in Malaysia, Brotawali in Indonesia, Makabuhay in Philippines, Boraphet in Thailand, Da ye ruanjinteng in China, Banndol Pech in Cambodia, Golonchi in Bangladesh, and Lyann span Zeb kayenn in Martinique island [23, 64]. *Tinospora cordifolia* (**Figure 10B** and **C**), also known as heart leaved Moonseed plant in English, Giloy in Hindi, and Guduchi in Sanskrit [65]. *Tinospora* species belongs to the family *Menispermaceae* [23, 65, 66]. *Tinospora crispa* is found in South East Asia and the Pacific [23, 66], and *Tinospora cordifolia* is found throughout India and certain parts in China [65]. Traditionally, *Tinospora* species are used to treat respiratory diseases and symptoms such as fever (**Table 1**) and other conditions including muscle pain, immune system associated inflammatory disorders, rheumatism, muscle pain, diabetes, and abdominal pain, septicemia, scabies, and ulcer-related disorders, hypertension, jaundice, paralysis, skin disease, leprosy, flatulence, dyspepsia, and diarrhea [6, 23, 66]. Phytochemical constituents of *Tinospora crispa* include alkaloids, flavonoids, furanoditerpenes, lignans, lactones, and steroids [66]. *Tinospora crispa* has pharmacological activity including antioxidant [23]. Active constituents such as boldine, cardioside, eicosenoic acid, quercetin, magnoflorin, and syringin are reported to have the antioxidant potential higher than that of ascorbic acid [23]. The same constituents are also reported to have the ability to increase the expression of IL-6, IL-8, and INF-g, thereby activating the immune system [17]. *Tinospora cordifolia* contains secondary metabolites including folioside A, tinocordiside, magnoflorine, and syringin with immunomodulatory activity [6]. The results of the molecular docking study on *Tinospora crispa* have revealed nine potential anti-SARS-CoV-2 lead molecules, namely, imidazolid-4-ne, 2-imino-1-(4-methoxy-6-dimethylamino-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl), spiro [4, 8] dec-6-en-1-ol, 2,6,10,10-tetramethyl, 3.beta-hydroxy-5-cholen-24 oic acid, androstan-17-one, 3-ethyl-3-hydroxy-(5.alpha), camphenol, (−)-Globulol, yangambin, nordazem, TMS derivative, and benzeneethanamide (**Table 2**). Three of these molecules have demonstrated some biological activity, which led to further optimization and drug development research for COVID-19 disease [25]. Molecular docking analysis also revealed that *Tinospora cordifolia* contains bioactive compounds, including amritoside, 20a hydroxy ecdysone, apigen-6-C-glucosyl7-O-glucoside, tinosporine B, and epicatechin (**Table 2**), with promising anti-SARS CoV-2 main protease activity [6]. The acute toxicity study conducted on rats has revealed that the ethanol extract of *Tinospora crispa* stem is not toxic and did not cause animal

**Figure 10.** *(A) Tinospora crispa. (B) and (C) Tinospora cordifolia.*

death at a dose of 4.0 g/kg of body weight (g/kg BW). However, six-month chronic toxicity study has reported hepatic and renal toxicities of the ethanol extract at a dose of 9.26 g/kg BW/day [64].
