Antiviral effect of Guazuma ulmifolia and Stryphnodendron adstringens on poliovirus and bovine herpesvirus

Crude extract (CE) and aqueous (AqF) and ethyl acetate (EtOAcF) fractions of Guazuma ulmifolia LAM., Sterculiaceae and the corresponding AqF, EtOAcF of Stryphnodendron adstringens (MART.) COVILLE, Leguminosae were tested for their antiviral activity against poliovirus 1 (P-1) and bovine herpesvirus 1 (BHV-1) in HEp2 cultured cells. The antiviral activity was monitored by plaque assay and immunolluorescence assay (IFA) under virucidal and therapeutic protocols. The therapeutic protocol demonstrated statistically significant positive results with both plants and for both virus strains. The highest percentages of viral inhibition were found for G. ulmifolia EtOAcF which inhibited BHV-1 and P-1 replication by 100% and 99%, respectively (p < 0.05, Student's t-test). For S. adstringens, AqF was the most efficient, inhibiting BHV-1 and P-1 by 97% and 93%, respectively (p < 0.05). In the virucidal protocol, G. ulmifolia CE inhibited the replication of BHV-1 and P-1 by 60% and 26%, respectively (p < 0.05), while, for S. adstringens, inhibition of 62% (p < 0.05) was demonstrated only with EtOAcF for P-1. IFA demonstrated that the greatest reduction in fluorescent cell number occurred with G. ulmifolia, under the therapeutic protocol for both virus strains. However, AqF and EtOAcF of S. adstringens were most efficient with the virucidal protocol for P-1 In conclusion, we demonstrated that G. ulmifolia and S. adstringens inhibited BHV-1 and P-1 replication, as well as, blocked the synthesis of viral antigens in infected cell cultures.

Antiviral activity of Bignoniaceae species occurring in the State of Minas Gerais (Brazil): part 1

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Antiviral activities of plants occurring in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil: Part 2. Screening Bignoniaceae species

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

In vitro study of antiviral activity of mycophenolic acid on Brazilian orthobunyaviruses

Objective: Oropouche, Caraparu, Guama, Guaroa and Tacaiuma are ssRNA viruses that belong to the genus Orthobunyavirus and have been associated with human febrile illnesses and/or encephalitis. In this study, we evaluated the antiviral action of mycophenolic acid (MPA) on these orthobunyaviruses to achieve a therapeutic agent to treat the diseases caused by these viruses. Methods: the in vitro antiviral evaluation to MPA was done by using plaque assay at different periods of treatment. Results: Results showed that MPA at a concentration of 10 mu g/ml has significant antiviral activity on Tacaiuma virus when treatment was initiated either 24 h before or 2 h after viral infection. Moreover, MPA has an inhibitory effect on Guama virus replication, but only when treatment was initiated before cell infection. Addition of guanosine in the culture reverted the inhibitory effect of MPA on Tacaiuma and Guama viruses, suggesting that the antiviral activity of this substance was via depletion of the intracellular guanosine pool. Conclusion: Our results suggest that MPA would not be a good therapeutic agent to treat the diseases caused by Oropouche, Caraparu, Guama, Guaroa, and Tacaiuma viruses.

Pt(II) and Ag(I) complexes with acesulfame: Crystal structure and a study of their antitumoral, antimicrobial and antiviral activities

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

The in vitro antiviral activity of an aliphatic nitro compound from Heteropteris aphrodisiaca

We investigated the antiviral activity of an aliphatic nitro compound (NC) isolated from Heteropteris aphrodisiaca O. Mach. (Malpighiaceae), a Brazilian medicinal ptant. The NC was tested for its antiviral activity against poliovirus type 1 (PV-1) and bovine herpes virus type 1 (BHV-1) by plaque reduction assay in cell culture. The NC showed a moderate antiviral activity against PV-1 and BHV-1 in HEp-2 celts, and the 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) were 22.01 mu g/ml (selectivity index (SI) = 2.83) and 21.10 mu g/mi (SI = 2.95), respectivety. At the highest concentration of the drug (40 mu g/ml) a reduction of approximately 80% in plaque assay was observed for both viruses. The treatment of cells or virus prior to infection did not inhibit the replication of virus strains. (C) 2006 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Antiviral activity of plants occurring in the state of minas gerais (Brazil): Part III

A total of 24 extracts from 14 plant species collected at the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, and belonging to five botanical families (Annonaceae, Apocynaceae, Ochnaceae, Polygonaceae and Vitaceae) was screened for cytotoxicity in cultured Vero cells and for antiviral activity against human herpes virus type 1 (HSV-1), vaccinia virus (VACV) and murine encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV). The highest cytotoxicity (CC 50 < 10 μg/mL) was observed for the ethanol extracts from Annona coriacea fruits and seeds. Extracts from Hancornia speciosa, Ouratea castaneafolia and O. semisrrata were the only ones that have shown activity against all the three viruses assayed. Extracts from Polygonum spectabile, Hancornia speciosa, Himatanthus phagedaenica, Ouratea spectabilis and O. semiserrata were the most active against HSV-1 (EC 50 < 50 mg/mL), with favorable SI values (8.0 to 10.0). Hancornia speciosa and Anaxagorea dolichocarpa were the most active against EMCV (EC 50 50 - 100 μg/mL), with reasonable SI values (5.2 to 6.1), while moderate to low activity (EC 50 > 100 μg/mL) was observed for Ouratea spectabilis and O. semiserrata. A total of 7 plant species, Ouratea semiserrata, O. spectabilis, O. castanaeafolia, Rollinia laurifolia, Cissus erosa, Polygonum spectabile, and Hancornia speciosa, were active against VACV, disclosing EC50 < 50 μg/mL and SI values ranging from 6.6 to 67.3. In total, 10 out of the 14 species were selected from a literature survey on plants used to treat viral diseases in Brazil; these species were responsible for 70% of the positive results.

Influência da tecnologia educacional na avaliação do conhecimento de portadores de hepatite C crônica sobre sua doença e aderência ao tratamento antiviral

Pós-graduação em Fisiopatologia em Clínica Médica - FMB

Hepatitis C virus molecular evolution: Transmission, disease progression and antiviral therapy

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection represents an important public health problem worldwide. Reduction of HCV morbidity and mortality is a current challenge owned to several viral and host factors. Virus molecular evolution plays an important role in HCV transmission, disease progression and therapy outcome. The high degree of genetic heterogeneity characteristic of HCV is a key element for the rapid adaptation of the intrahost viral population to different selection pressures (e.g., host immune responses and antiviral therapy). HCV molecular evolution is shaped by different mechanisms including a high mutation rate, genetic bottlenecks, genetic drift, recombination, temporal variations and compartmentalization. These evolutionary processes constantly rearrange the composition of the HCV intrahost population in a staging manner. Remarkable advances in the understanding of the molecular mechanism controlling HCV replication have facilitated the development of a plethora of direct-acting antiviral agents against HCV. As a result, superior sustained viral responses have been attained. The rapidly evolving field of anti-HCV therapy is expected to broad its landscape even further with newer, more potent antivirals, bringing us one step closer to the interferon-free era. (C) 2014 Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.

Discovery of a new antiviral protein isolated Lonomia obliqua analysed by bioinformatics and real-time approaches

This study presents a new recombinant protein that acts as a powerful antiviral (rAVLO—recombinant Antiviral protein of Lonomia obliqua). It was able to reduce the replication by 106 fold for herpes virus and by 104 fold for rubella virus. RT-PCR of viral RNA rAVLO treated infected cells also showed similar rate of inhibition in replication. The analysis of this protein by bioinformatics suggests that this protein is globular, secreted with a signal peptide and has the ability to bind to MHC class I. It was found that there are several protein binding sites with various HLA and a prevalence of α-helices in the N-terminal region (overall classified as a α/β protein type). BLAST similarity sequence search for corresponding cDNA did not reveal a similar sequence in Genbank, suggesting that it is from a novel protein family. In this study we have observed that this recombinant protein and hemolymph has a potent antiviral action. This protein was produced in a baculovirus/Sf-9 system. Therefore, these analyses suggest that this novel polypeptide is a candidate as a broad spectrum antiviral.

Atividade antiviral de compostos naturais no ciclo replicativo do HCV

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Ribavirin has an in vitro antiviral effect in rabies virus infected neuronal cells but fails to provide benefit in experimental rabies in mice

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Avaliação da atividade antiviral dos compostos do esmalte de unha (acetato de etila e acetato de butila) no herpesvírus bovino tipo 5

Pós-graduação em Enfermagem - FMB