Inhibition of herpes simplex virus infection by tannins and related compounds.
Several chemically defined plant extracts were investigated for their antiviral action on herpes simplex virus (HSV-1, HSV-2)-infected African green monkey kidney cells and human adenocarcinoma cells, using a plaque formation assay. Among them, the monomeric hydrolyzable tannins, oligomeric ellagitannins and condensed tannins, having galloyl groups or hexahydroxydiphenoyl groups, had the most potent anti-HSV activity. Their 50% effective doses (0.03-0.1 microgram/ml) were by two-three orders of magnitude lower than their 50% cytotoxic doses (greater than 10 micrograms/ml). On the other hand, gallic acid, neutral polysaccharides, chemically modified (N,N-dimethylaminoethyl-, carboxymethyl-, and sulfated-) glucans, sialic acid-rich glycoproteins, and uronic acid-rich pine cone polysaccharide showed little or no activity. Using radiolabeled virus particles, we demonstrated that the anti-HSV effect of the tannins is due to inhibition of virus adsorption to the cells.
Fukuchi
K
K
First Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan.
Sakagami
H
H
Okuda
T
T
Hatano
T
T
Tanuma
S
S
Kitajima
K
K
Inoue
Y
Y
Inoue
S
S
Ichikawa
S
S
Nonoyama
M
M
D000327:Adsorption; D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002621:Chemistry; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006801:Humans; D015394:Molecular Structure; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000187:drug effects*; D013634:Tannins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010948:Viral Plaque Assay
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011134:Polysaccharides; D013634:Tannins