Abstract Aspirin, with its active compound acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), shows antiviral activity against rhino- and influenza viruses and 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 analyzed by RTqPCR. The compounds suppressed SARS-CoV-2 replication in cell culture cells and in a patient-near replication system using human precision-cut lung slices by two orders of magnitude. The compounds did not interfere with viral entry but led to lower viral RNA expression after 24 h.

Acetylsalicylic acid and Salicylic acid inhibit SARS-CoV-2 replication in precision-cut lung slices