and have ranked for centuries as a major challenge to human progress and survival [1]. They are a leading burden of largely avoidable morbidity and mortality worldwide, falling substantially on people in developing countries and particularly on infants and children [2]. Viral infections have challenged mankind’s survival, and viruses’ present recurrent socioeconomic and health problems worldwide. Preventive vaccines can only provide lifelong protection against a limited number of viruses. In addition, viruses often have the ability to mutate rapidly because of their low-fidelity replication process and resistance to conventional drug therapies [3]. There is an urgent need for drugs to treat the various viral diseases for which there are limited or no therapeutic options currently available. Numerous natural products with selective potent antiviral activity have been identified worldwide, with some currently undergoing either pre-clinical or clinical trials [4]. A variety of medicinal plants have been identified that possess broad–spectrum antiviral activity of greater potency than conventional antiviral agents [5].