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

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.