MERS and SARSCoV Inhibition Using Anti-HCV Drugs: A Computational Biophysical Approach, SAMAH M. MAHDY, ABDO A. EL-FIKY and WAEL M. EL-SHEMEY
Abstract
Background: SARS and MERS are two newly identified Human Corona Viruses (HCoVs) in East Asia and Middle East region, respectively. They affect the respiratory systems of the infected patients. They are transferred from host animal to human through direct contacts with infected animals, since termed Zoonotic. Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) is widely studied since its discovery in 1989. In the last five years, a number of approved drugs against polymerases and proteases are in market.
Methods: In this study, anti-HCV drugs are tested in silico against both MERS and SARS CoVs polymerases. Bioinfor-matics is used along with molecular modeling and docking for testing the antiviral activities.
Results: Docking score values for IDX-184, MK-0608, Sofosbuvir and Ribavirin reveals that these drugs can inhibit both SARS and MERS CoV in silico.
Conclusion: HCV drugs can inhibit the function of both SARS and MERS CoV polymerases. In addition, the data revealed strong antiviral activity of some of the studied compounds compared to Ribavirin.