Salvianolic acid C potently inhibits SARS-CoV-2 infection by blocking the formation of six-helix bundle core of spike protein

Dear Editor,The pandemic of COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection has posed a serious threat to global public health and the economy.Up to now,although several potentially effective antiviral drugs are under evaluating in clinical trials around the world,1 there are still no specific antiviral countermeasures beyond supportive therapies have been established.We herein report that the hydrophilic compound Salvianolic acid C(Sal-C)from Danshen,a traditional Chinese medicine(TCM),potently inhibit SARS-CoV-2 infection by blocking the formation of six-helix bundle(6-HB)core of spike(S)protein.