Quercetin and its derivatives are potent inhibitors of the dengue virus

Dengue virus belongs to the Flaviviridae family. It causes dengue fever (DF), dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF), and dengue shock syndrome (DSS). Still, no licensed antiviral or vaccine is available. Quercetin is a plant-derived flavonoid found in fruits and vegetables. Several in silico and experimental studies revealed quercetin and its derivatives as potent inhibitors of DENV. This review extensively discussed the outcomes of these studies. This review employed PRISMA guidelines for systematic review. Literature was retrieved from PubMed and other databases using the keywords "Dengue virus", "Quercetin", "Quercetin derivatives", "Flavonoids", "Antiviral Activity", "in vitro", "in vivo" and "in silico". Twenty-nine articles were screened; twenty-five met the eligibility criteria and were reviewed. This review is the first insightful and comprehensive document that reveals quercetin and quercetin derivatives are inhibitors of DENV. Quercetin could lead the way in developing antiviral drugs against dengue diseases.