Acetylsalicylic Acid and Salicylic Acid Inhibit SARS-CoV-2 Replication in Precision-Cut Lung Slices
Nina Geiger, Eva‐Maria König, Heike Oberwinkler, Valeria Roll, Viktoria Diesendorf, Sofie Fähr, Helena Obernolte, Katherina Sewald, Sabine Wronski, Maria Steinke, Jochen Bodem
Abstract
Aspirin, with its active compound acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), shows antiviral activity against rhino- and influenza viruses at high concentrations. We sought to investigate whether ASA and its metabolite salicylic acid (SA) inhibit SARS-CoV-2 since it might use similar pathways to influenza viruses. The compound-treated cells were infected with SARS-CoV-2. Viral replication was analysed by RTqPCR. The compounds suppressed SARS-CoV-2 replication in cell culture cells and a patient-near replication system using human precision-cut lung slices by two orders of magnitude. While the compounds did not interfere with viral entry, it led to lower viral RNA expression after 24 h, indicating that post-entry pathways were inhibited by the compounds.