title: Bioactive natural products with anti-herpes simplex virus properties.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In this review, we highlight and summarise the most promising extracts, fractions and pure compounds as potential anti-herpes simplex virus (HSV) agents derived from microorganisms, marine organisms, fungi, animals and plants. The role of natural products in the development of anti-HSV drugs will be discussed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Herpes simplex viruses (HSV-1 and -2) are common human pathogens that remain a serious threat to human health. In recent years, a great interest has been devoted to the search for integrated management of HSV infections. Acyclovir and related nucleoside analogues have been licensed for the therapy that target viral DNA polymerase. Although these drugs are currently effective against HSV infections, the intensive use of these drugs has led to the problem of drug-resistant strains. Therefore, the search for new sources to develop new antiherpetic agents has gained major priority to overcome the problem.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Natural products as potential, new anti-HSV drugs provide several advantages such as reduced side effects, less resistance, low toxicity and various mechanisms of action. This paper aims to provide an overview of natural products that possess antiviral activity against HSV.
authors.affiliation: Department of Natural Drugs, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic.|Department of Applied Ecology, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Sherif T S
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Hassan
authors.affiliation: Department of Natural Drugs, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Radka
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Masarčíková
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Ecology, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Kateřina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Berchová
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001688:Biological Products / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015195:Drug Design; D024882:Drug Resistance, Viral; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D001688:Biological Products
keywords: antiviral agents; bioactive compounds; herpes simplex virus; natural products; nucleoside analogues