Curcumin inhibits Zika and chikungunya virus infection by inhibiting cell binding.
Several compounds extracted from spices and herbs exhibit antiviral effects in vitro, suggesting potential pharmacological uses. Curcumin, a component of turmeric, has been used as a food additive and herbal supplement due to its potential medicinal properties. Previously, curcumin exhibited antiviral properties against several viruses, including dengue virus and hepatitis C virus, among others. Here, we describe the antiviral effect of curcumin on Zika and chikungunya viruses, two mosquito-borne outbreak viruses. Both viruses responded to treatment of cells with up to 5 μM curumin without impacting cellular viability. We observed that direct treatment of virus with curcumin reduced infectivity of virus in a dose- and time-dependent manner for these enveloped viruses, as well as vesicular stomatitis virus. In contrast, we found no change in infectivity for Coxsackievirus B3, a non-enveloped virus. Derivatives of curcumin also exhibited antiviral activity against enveloped viruses. Further examination revealed that curcumin interfered with the binding of the enveloped viruses to cells in a dose-dependent manner, though the integrity of the viral RNA was maintained. Together, these results expand the family of viruses sensitive to curcumin and provide a mechanism of action for curcumin's effect on these enveloped viruses.
Institut Pasteur, Viral Populations and Pathogenesis Unit, CNRS UMR 3569, 25-28 rue du Dr. Roux, Paris, France.
Bryan C
BC
Mounce
Institut Pasteur, Viral Populations and Pathogenesis Unit, CNRS UMR 3569, 25-28 rue du Dr. Roux, Paris, France.
Teresa
T
Cesaro
Institut Pasteur, Viral Populations and Pathogenesis Unit, CNRS UMR 3569, 25-28 rue du Dr. Roux, Paris, France; University of Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Cellule Pasteur, Paris, France.
Lucia
L
Carrau
Institut Pasteur, Viral Populations and Pathogenesis Unit, CNRS UMR 3569, 25-28 rue du Dr. Roux, Paris, France.
Thomas
T
Vallet
Institut Pasteur, Viral Populations and Pathogenesis Unit, CNRS UMR 3569, 25-28 rue du Dr. Roux, Paris, France. Electronic address: marco.vignuzzi@pasteur.fr.
Marco
M
Vignuzzi
D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D065632:Chikungunya Fever / Q000188:drug therapy; D002646:Chikungunya virus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D003384:Coxsackievirus Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D003474:Curcumin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004770:Enterovirus / Q000187:drug effects; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D020128:Inhibitory Concentration 50; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000187:drug effects; D014709:Vero Cells; D014721:Vesicular stomatitis Indiana virus / Q000187:drug effects; D053585:Virus Attachment / Q000187:drug effects*; D053586:Virus Internalization / Q000187:drug effects; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects; D000071244:Zika Virus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D000071243:Zika Virus Infection / Q000188:drug therapy
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D012367:RNA, Viral; D003474:Curcumin
Curcumin; Enveloped virus; Viral binding