title: The in vitro anti-viral potential of Setarud (IMOD™), a commercial herbal medicine with protective activity against acquired immune deficiency syndrome in clinical trials.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Setarud (IMOD™) is a herbal medicine with beneficial effect for patients suffering Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and has been approved for IV (intra venues) injection. The beneficial effect of IMOD administration for acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) patient has been proved in previous clinical trials. Here the in vitro inhibitory effect of IMOD against HIV-1, Herpes simplex virus (HSV) and murine leukemia viruses (MLV) was evaluated.
  
  
  METHODS
  HIV single cycle replication and HSV plaque reduction assays were used to evaluate the anti-viral effect. The level of HIV replication was monitored by p24 capture Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The single round infection [with green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter MLV and HIV], virucidal and time-of-additions (HSV) assays were utilized to determine the mode of anti-viral activity. The toxicity of IMOD for cells was monitored by XTT (sodium 3_-[1 (phenylaminocarbonyl)- 3,4-tetrazolium]-bis (4-methoxy-6-nitro)benzene sulfonic acid) cell proliferation assay kit.
  
  
  RESULTS
  IMOD inhibited 50% of HIV-1 and HSV replication (IC(50)) at 6.5 × 10(-4) and 4.3 × 10(-3)V/V concentrations, respectively. The IC(50) value against HIV-1 and MLV infection were 6 × 10(-4)V/V and 4.9 × 10(-4)V/V. Virucidal assay showed that IMOD reduces the potency of HIV and HSV particles to 41 and 54% of control, respectively. Time-of-addition study revealed that IMOD inhibits the replication of HSV at a stage after penetration of virions to the target cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Data from this study indicate that IMOD has significant anti-viral activity against HIV, HSV and MLV. Setarud could be subjected to further investigation after isolation of the constituents and determination of the toxic components.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatitis and AIDS, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Rezvan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zabihollahi
authors.forename: Rahele
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Namazi
authors.forename: Mohammad Reze
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Aghasadeghi
authors.forename: Azar Farhang
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Esfahani
authors.forename: Seyed Mehdi
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Sadat
authors.forename: Mohammad Hossein
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Modarressi
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000379:methods; D057809:HEK293 Cells; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000379:methods; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D014709:Vero Cells
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; C555145:setarud
keywords: Anti-viral activity; human immunodeficiency virus; setarud (IMOD™)