title: Anti-HCV Activity from Semi-purified Methanolic Root Extracts of Valeriana wallichii.
abstract: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a serious global health problem affecting approximately 130-150 million individuals. Presently available direct-acting anti-HCV drugs have higher barriers to resistance and also improved success rate; however, cost concerns limit their utilization, especially in developing countries like India. Therefore, development of additional agents to combat HCV infection is needed. In the present study, we have evaluated anti-HCV potential of water, chloroform, and methanol extracts from roots of Valeriana wallichii, a traditional Indian medicinal plant. Huh-7.5 cells infected with J6/JFH chimeric HCV strain were treated with water, chloroform, and methanol extracts at different concentrations. Semi-quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction result demonstrated that methanolic extract showed reduction in HCV replication. The methanolic extract was fractionated by thin layer chromatography, and the purified fractions (F1, F2, F3, and F4) were checked for anti-HCV activity. Significant viral inhibition was noted only in F4 fraction. Further, intrinsic fluorescence assay of purified HCV RNA-dependent RNA polymerase NS5B in the presence of F4 resulted in sharp quenching of intrinsic fluorescence with increasing amount of plant extract. Our results indicated that methanolic extract of V. wallichii and its fraction (F4) inhibited HCV by binding with HCV NS5B protein. The findings would be further investigated to identify the active principle/lead molecule towards development of complementary and alternative therapeutics against HCV. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
authors.affiliation: Functional Genomics Lab, Centre for Advanced Study, Department of Botany, University of Calcutta, 35, Ballygunge Circular Road, Kolkata, 700019, India.
authors.forename: Krishna Kumar
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Ganta
authors.affiliation: Functional Genomics Lab, Centre for Advanced Study, Department of Botany, University of Calcutta, 35, Ballygunge Circular Road, Kolkata, 700019, India.
authors.forename: Anirban
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mandal
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, 700032, India.
authors.forename: Sukalyani
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Debnath
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, 700032, India.
authors.forename: Banasri
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hazra
authors.affiliation: Functional Genomics Lab, Centre for Advanced Study, Department of Botany, University of Calcutta, 35, Ballygunge Circular Road, Kolkata, 700019, India.
authors.forename: Binay
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2198-6238
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chaubey
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D000432:Methanol / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry; D014632:Valerian / Q000737:chemistry*; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins; D012324:RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000432:Methanol; D010936:Plant Extracts; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins; C087036:NS-5 protein, hepatitis C virus; D012324:RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase
keywords: HCV; HCV NS5B; HCV inhibitions; Valeriana wallichii; plant extract