Polyphenols are a large family of more than 10,000 naturally occurring compounds, which exert countless pharmacological, biological and physiological benefits for human health including several chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular, and neurological diseases. Their role in traditional medicine, such as the use of a wide range of remedial herbs (thyme, oregano, rosemary, sage, mint, basil), has been well and long known for treating common respiratory problems and cold infections. This review reports on the most highlighted polyphenolic compounds present in up to date literature and their specific antiviral perceptive properties that might enhance the body immunity facing COVID-19, and other viral infectious diseases. In fact, several studies and clinical trials increasingly proved the role of polyphenols in controlling numerous human pathogens including SARS and MERS, which are quite similar to COVID-19 through the enhancement of host immune response against viral infections by different biological mechanisms. Thus, polyphenols ought to be considered as a potential and valuable source for designing new drugs that could be used effectively in the combat against COVID‐19 and other rigorous diseases.

多酚是一个由 10,000 多种天然化合物组成的大家族，对人类健康（包括癌症、糖尿病、心血管和神经系统疾病等多种慢性疾病）发挥着无数的药理、生物学和生理学益处。它们在传统医学中的作用，例如使用各种治疗草药（百里香、牛至、迷迭香、鼠尾草、薄荷、罗勒），长期以来因治疗常见的呼吸道疾病和感冒感染而闻名。这篇综述报告了最新文献中最突出的多酚化合物及其特定的抗病毒感知特性，这些特性可能会增强面对 COVID-19 和其他病毒传染病的身体免疫力。事实上，多项研究和临床试验越来越证明多酚在控制包括SARS和MERS在内的多种人类病原体方面的作用，这些病原体与COVID-19非常相似，通过不同的生物学机制增强宿主对病毒感染的免疫反应。因此，多酚应被视为设计可有效对抗 COVID-19 和其他严重疾病的新药的潜在且有价值的来源。