Background: An arbovirus called the Zika virus is spread by Aedes mosquitoes. The Zika virus (ZIKV) epidemic that has recently spread over the Western Hemisphere (the Americas and the ongoing outbreak in Brazil) is now recognised as one of the main causes of neurologic disease and other potential neurologic consequences.
Methods: There are currently no antivirals available, and vaccines are only available for some. Currently, only symptomatic treatment is available. Various herbal plants, vegetables, fruits, flowers, and microbes have been documented to exhibit antiviral activities possessing good tolerability and minimal side effects. Polyphenols and other phyto-constituents have been extensively studied against arboviruses and have demonstrated promising results.
Results: This review article focuses on a potential new herbal formulation with strong antiviral properties against the current zika virus and accompanying symptoms, with intranasal administration as the preferred method for treating neurological symptoms.
Conclusion: Natural anti-viral therapy plays an important role in contributing to antiviral drug development and in reducing the global infection burden of arboviruses.