Edible dry fruits and seeds in combating second wave of COVID-19 pandemic

Singirikonda, S.; Khan, M. S.; Das, K.; Tejashwini, R.; Krupanidhi, A. J.

Dry fruits and few edible seeds are very common consumableitems with the rich source of polyphenolic compounds. Many other phytochemicals are also present in dry fruits and shows significant antioxidant activity that further correlated to get rid of many health complications. These fruits are commonly known as dry fruits or super foods with the rich content of proteins, vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre. They are well known for their immuno modulatory activities with various medicinal applications, especially as antiviral activity. The ongoing COVID outbreak has posed a serious threat to global health sector. At present, the second wave of coronavirus is already has started and gradually increasing day by day in worldwide which arestronger and much more detrimental for the people including in India. In connection with the previous history, it is obvious to increase immunity to fight against the pandemic virus. In the present manuscript, some important dry fruits and seeds are selected which have dual characters, i.e., potent immune boosting property along with antiviral efficacy. Various phytochemicals like flavonoids, alkaloids, glycosides, sesquiterpenes, benzoic compounds were reportedly isolated from these plant extracts those are having strong antiviral as well as immune boosting properties. Therefore, the detail study of these dry fruits and seeds with their sources, chemicals responsible for the therapeutic efficacy, their structural nature, and potent uses along with their combined preparations as home as remedies in boosting immunity and also to resist the viral infection are discussed. The article will focus to the researchers for detailed ethnopharmacological and phytochemical studies on these dry fruit and seed plants used to treat as immuno modulators as well as in the development of novel antiviral drugs.