مشخصات پژوهش

Since the end of 2019, the covid-19 is critically overhanging general health and called as pandemic by World Health Organization. Alternative approaches are very important for its control along with specific drugs for covid-19. Hence, the main objective of the present article is to provide an overview on the function of horticultural crops enriched with antioxidants as a possible alternative opportunity in combating the covid-19. Natural antioxidants such as vitamins, bioactive molecules, various polyphenols and some of micro nutrients have promising abilities for being used as antiviral agents. This promising feature is accompanied with its effect on decreasing the levels of ROS in infected cells, inhibiting replication of several strains of different viruses and preventing the proliferation of cancer cells. Results highlighted the anti-viral effects of different antioxidants which can be summarized in three groups; 1) polyphenols with anti-inflammatory and anti-allergy effects; 2) vitamins with inhibitory effects on oxidation processes, preserving the epithelium and improving immune function in the elderly and 3) minerals effecting on the formation of antibodies and improving immune system. According to these comprehensive facts of the review, antioxidants propose promising goals for improving oxygenation rates and glutathione levels, decreasing sodium intake and blood pressure, strengthening immune response and prevention of the chronic human diseases.