The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has
underscored the lack of approved drugs against acute viral
diseases. Plants are considered inexhaustible sources of drugs
for several diseases and clinical conditions, but plant-derived
compounds have seen little success in the field of antivirals.
Here, we present the case for the use of compounds from vascular
plants, including alkaloids, flavonoids, polyphenols,
and tannins, as antivirals, particularly for the treatment of
COVID-19. We review current evidence for the use of these
phytochemicals against SARS-CoV-2 infection and present
their potential targets in the SARS-CoV-2 replication cycle.