Herbal Plants Used in Treatment of Dengue- A review of Antiviral Potentials

Abstract

Background: Dengue fever is a major global health concern, as it has emerged as a sudden threat, increasing mortality and morbidity rates worldwide, with no specific antiviral treatment available. It is a virus-borne illness; the Flavivirus is transmitted to humans by female Aedes mosquitoes and comprises four distinct serotypes (DENV-1 to DENV-4). Given this, increasing attention has turned to herbal medicine as a safer, more accessible, and potentially effective alternative for dengue management. This narrative review compiles and evaluates the antiviral, anti-thrombocytopenic, and larvicidal activities of various medicinal plants traditionally used across Asia and Africa.

Materials & Methods: Articles were selected from Google Scholar and supplemented by hand-picked effective in vitro and in vivo studies. Subsequently, 22 medicinal plants including Carica papaya, Azadirachta indica, and Andrographis paniculata were addressed in this review. These plants exhibit promising anti-dengue effects through mechanisms such as inhibition of viral replication proteins, restoration of platelet counts, and suppression of vector development.

Results: A variety of plants included in this review exhibited anti-dengue effects attributed to phytochemicals such as flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids, and polysaccharides, which demonstrate both direct virucidal activity and host immune enhancement. Several herbal extracts have also shown the potential to interfere with the dengue virus life cycle at the stages of absorption, penetration, or RNA synthesis.

Conclusion: This review emphasizes the need for standardization, dosage regulation, patient safety, and clinical validation to ensure both efficacy and safety. Herbal-based therapeutic strategies may offer a complementary approach to dengue control, especially in resource-limited settings.