Abstract
Respiratory viruses pose a significant threat to global health. They first infect the naso- and oropharyngeal regions, where they multiply, cause symptoms and can also be transmitted to new hosts. Preventing an initial infection or reducing the viral load after an infection can alleviate symptoms, prevent it from spreading to the lower respiratory tract, or prevent transmission to the next person. Several natural products have well-described direct antiviral activity or can relieve the symptoms of respiratory infections.