We face a significant lack of specific antivirals and vaccines to combat many viral pathogens, and for some global regions these few therapeutic solutions are inaccessible.
Indigenous Pacific populations are at higher risk of severe clinical outcomes from many viral infections compared to other populations in the same region, particularly for RSV, influenza virus and SARS-CoV-2. We urgently need additional safe and effective antivirals to protect all communities, especially those with co-morbidities which can contraindicate clinically approved antivirals such as Paxlovid. Crucially, many Pacific villages and remote communities face significant barriers for accessing medical care, with no hospitals, doctors or clinics without taking a flight or boat to another region. For these populations, easily accessible, affordable, safe and trusted antiviral therapies are urgently needed.
Over many centuries, Pacific populations have developed and administered effective traditional medicines to treat a range of illnesses. Several Pacific traditional medicines have been shown to possess potent anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, however, very few studies have directly examined their antiviral effects against current viral threats such as COVID-19.
This study aims to examine a range of traditional Samoan medicines for antiviral activities against several pathogenic viruses including coronaviruses OC43 and SARS-CoV-2, influenza, RSV, and herpes simplex virus, using standard virological assays. For traditional medicines with antiviral properties, these will be further examined in combinations with other traditional medicines or clinically approved antivirals to look for therapeutic synergy, which allows for dose reductions of each therapy, but can also detect antagonism to guide appropriate use. Our preliminary results revealed two Samoan traditional medicines with potent antiviral activity in vitro against the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant.
This study combines the complementary expertise from traditional medicine practitioners and Pacific researchers to enhance indigenous knowledge and to work with traditional healers to help combat contemporary viral infections in remote areas.