In vitro antiherpes effects of a C-glycosylflavonoid-enriched fraction of Cecropia glaziovii Sneth.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the in vitro antiherpes effects of the crude aqueous extract obtained from Cecropia glaziovii leaves and their related fractions, the n-butanol fraction (n-BuOH) and the C-glycosylflavonoid-enriched fraction (MeOH(AMB)), and to determine the viral multiplication step(s) upon which this C-glycosylflavonoid-enriched fraction acts.


RESULTS
The antiviral activity was evaluated against human herpes virus types 1 and 2 (HHV-1, HHV-2) by plaque reduction assay. The mode of action of the most active fraction was investigated by a set of assays, and the results demonstrated that MeOH(AMB) fraction exerts anti-herpes action by the reduction of viral infectivity (only against HHV-2); by the inhibition of virus entry into cells; by the inhibition of cell-to-cell virus spread as well as by the impaired levels of envelope proteins of HHV-1. The high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-photo-diode array (PDA) analysis showed that the C-glycosylflavonoids are the major constituents of this fraction.


CONCLUSIONS
These data showed that the MeOH(AMB) fraction has an antiviral activity against HHV types 1 and 2. The C-glycosylflavonoids are the major constituents of this fraction, which suggests that they could be one of the compounds responsible for the detected anti-herpes activity.


CONCLUSIONS
The MeOH(AMB) fraction can be regarded as a phytopharmaceutical candidate for the treatment of herpetic infections.
Silva
I T
IT
Laboratório de Virologia Aplicada, Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Universitário Trindade, Florianópolis, SC, Brasil.
Costa
G M
GM
Stoco
P H
PH
Schenkel
E P
EP
Reginatto
F H
FH
Simões
C M O
CM
D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000032:analysis; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000472:pathogenicity; D018258:Herpesvirus 2, Human / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000472:pathogenicity; D006801:Humans; D010783:Photometry; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D027003:Urticaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D010948:Viral Plaque Assay; D053585:Virus Attachment / Q000187:drug effects; D053586:Virus Internalization / Q000187:drug effects; D057074:Virus Release / Q000187:drug effects
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D005419:Flavonoids; D010936:Plant Extracts