title: In vitro characterization of a nineteenth-century therapy for smallpox.
abstract: In the nineteenth century, smallpox ravaged through the United States and Canada. At this time, a botanical preparation, derived from the carnivorous plant Sarracenia purpurea, was proclaimed as being a successful therapy for smallpox infections. The work described characterizes the antipoxvirus activity associated with this botanical extract against vaccinia virus, monkeypox virus and variola virus, the causative agent of smallpox. Our work demonstrates the in vitro characterization of Sarracenia purpurea as the first effective inhibitor of poxvirus replication at the level of early viral transcription. With the renewed threat of poxvirus-related infections, our results indicate Sarracenia purpurea may act as another defensive measure against Orthopoxvirus infections.
authors.affiliation: Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States of America.
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Arndt
authors.forename: Chandra
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mitnik
authors.forename: Karen L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Denzler
authors.forename: Stacy
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Waters
authors.forename: Bertram L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.forename: Yvan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Rochon
authors.forename: Victoria A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Olson
authors.forename: Inger K
authors.initials: IK
authors.lastname: Damon
authors.forename: Jeffrey O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Langland
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002170:Canada; D002460:Cell Line; D000077404:Cidofovir; D003596:Cytosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006367:HeLa Cells; D049672:History, 19th Century; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D063065:Organophosphonates / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000266:history* / Q000379:methods*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011817:Rabbits; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D052583:Sarraceniaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D012899:Smallpox / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000266:history; D014481:United States; D012901:Variola virus / Q000187:drug effects*; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D063065:Organophosphonates; D010936:Plant Extracts; D003596:Cytosine; D000077404:Cidofovir