Medicinal Plants in Controlling and Treatment of Cutaneous Viral Diseases: Ethnopharmacology, Chemistry, and Clinical and Preclinical Studies

Skin is the largest organ of our body, comprised of a few distinct parts, including water, proteins, lipids (fats), and various minerals. During our lifespan, the skin changes continuously for many reasons. The skin is an active immune organ that acts as the primary interface between the host and the virus. The initial immunity of the skin to viral attackers typically defines the infection’s duration and severity. In the immense universe of skin infections, viral skin issues represent a critical rate. Most common skin illnesses present with an exanthem (skin rash) and, in most cases, an enanthem (sores involving the mucosal layer). Viral infections that are common in the skin include viral youth exanthems (measles, rubella, erythema infectiosum), herpes infections (herpes simplex infection, varicella-zoster infection), viral zoonotic contaminations (monkeypox, Ebola), and a few other viral skin illnesses like human papilloma infection; hand, foot, and mouth disease; molluscum contagiosum; and Merkel cell polyomavirus. COVID-19 is a pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). COVID-19 has a significant influence on dermatologists’ medical practices. Different skin manifestations have been observed in patients with COVID-19 infection. Plants are an abundant source of anti-viral, pharmacologically active agents. Extractable biochemical and bioactive substances found in medicinal plants can target specific viruses and cure or prevent a variety of viral illnesses and infections. In this review chapter, the influence of medicinal plants on the regulation of skin immunity and their anti-viral activity against certain skin invaders are effectively described. The various pharmacological actions of medicinal plants and their chemical constituents in viral infections of the skin are discussed. The data on the preclinical and clinical anti-viral activities and chemistry of the available active compounds of plant origin currently utilized for the prevention and treatment of cutaneous viral infection are summarized in this study.