Antiphytoviral activity of bruceine-D from Brucea javanica seeds.
BACKGROUND
Brucea javanica (L.) Merr. is widely distributed throughout the southern parts of China and has been used in traditional medicine to treat a variety of diseases. The objective of the present study was to identify the active antiphytoviral compound in the seeds of B. javanica and evaluate the inhibitory activity of the compound against plant virus.


RESULTS
Bioassay-guided fractionation of the most active extract from the seeds led to the isolation of an antiphytoviral compound which was identified as bruceine-D by conventional spectroscopy methods. The compound exhibited significant inhibitory activity against the infection and replication of tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), with IC(50) values of 13.98 and 7.13 mg L(-1) respectively. The compound also showed a strong inhibitory effect on the infectivity of potato virus Y (PVY) and cucumber mosaic virus (CMV). Furthermore, the compound could effectively inhibit systemic TMV infection in the host tobacco plant under glasshouse conditions.


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggested that bruceine-D from Brucea javanica may have the potential to be used as a natural viricide, or a lead compound for new viricides.
Shen
Jian-Guo
JG
Institute of Plant Virology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.
Zhang
Zheng-Kun
ZK
Wu
Zu-Jian
ZJ
Ouyang
Ming-An
MA
Xie
Lian-Hui
LH
Lin
Qi-Ying
QY
D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D032269:Brucea / Q000737:chemistry*; D015394:Molecular Structure; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000821:virology; D036702:Quassins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012639:Seeds / Q000737:chemistry*; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000821:virology; D014027:Tobacco Mosaic Virus / Q000187:drug effects*
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D036702:Quassins; C030412:bruceine D