• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.207-210
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• 2014

Viral infections are capable of inducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in the infected cells and antioxidants have been reported to have antiviral activities against many viruses. In this study, an antiviral assay using the cytopathic effect (CPE) reduction method revealed that gallic acid possesses good anti-coxsackievirus B3 (CB3) and coxsackievirus B4 (CB4) activities, reducing the formation of visible CPE. However, ribavirin did exhibit weak anti-CB3 and CB4 activities and was unable to prevent CPE. Therefore, we conclude that the inhibition of CB3 or CB4 production by gallic acid may be due to its general action as an antioxidant.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.137-143
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• 2021

Most cervical cancers are associated with high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Currently, cervical cancer treatment entails surgical removal of the lesion, but treatment of infection and preventing tissue damage are issues that still remain to be addressed. Herbal medicine and biological studies have focused on developing antiviral drugs from natural sources. In this study, we analyzed the potential antiviral effects of Pinus densiflora Sieb. et Zucc. leaf extracts against HPV. The pine needle extracts from each organic solvent were analyzed for antiviral activity. The methylene chloride fraction (PN-MC) showed the highest activity against HPV pseudovirus (PV). The PN-MC extract was more effective before, rather than after treatment, and therefore represents a prophylactic intervention. Mice were pre-treated with PN-MC via genital application or oral administration, followed by a genital or subcutaneous challenge with HPV PV, respectively. The HPV challenge results showed that mice treated via genital application exhibited complete protection against HPV. In conclusion, PN-MC represents a potential topical virucide for HPV infection.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.72.1-72.10
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• 2020

Background: Fenbendazole, a dewormer drug, is used widely in the clinical treatment of parasite infections in animals. Recent studies have shown that fenbendazole has substantial effects on tumor growth, immune responses, and inflammatory responses, suggesting that fenbendazole is a pluripotent drug. Nevertheless, the antiviral effects have not been reported. Fenbendazole can disrupt microtubules, which are essential for multiple viruses infections, suggesting that fenbendazole might have antiviral effects. Objectives: This study examined whether fenbendazole could inhibit bovine herpesvirus 1 (BoHV-1) productive infection in cell cultures. Methods: The effects of fenbendazole on viral production, transcription of the immediate early (IE) genes, viron-associated protein expression, and the cellular signaling PLC-γ1/Akt pathway were assessed using distinct methods. Results: Fenbendazole could inhibit BoHV-1 productive infections significantly in MDBK cells in a dose-dependent manner. A time-of-addition assay indicated that fenbendazole affected both the early and late stages in the virus replication cycles. The transcription of IE genes, including BoHV-1 infected cell protein 0 (bICP0), bICP4, and bICP22, as well as the synthesis of viron-associated proteins, were disrupted differentially by the fenbendazole treatment. The treatment did not affect the cellular signaling pathway of PLC-γ1/Akt, a known cascade playing important roles in virus infection. Conclusions: Overall, fenbendazole has antiviral effects on BoHV-1 replication.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.172-177
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• 2020

Influenza viruses cause respiratory diseases in humans and animals with high morbidity and mortality rates. Conventional anti-influenza drugs are reported to exert side effects and newly emerging viral strains tend to develop resistance to these commonly used agents. Fritillaria thunbergii (FT) is traditionally used as an expectorant for controlling airway inflammatory disorders. Here, we evaluated the therapeutic effects of FT extracts against influenza virus type A (H1N1) infection in vitro, in ovo, and in vivo. In the post-treatment assay, FT extracts showed high CC50 (7,500 ㎍/ml), indicating low toxicity, and exerted moderate antiviral effects compared to oseltamivir (SI 50.6 vs. 222) in vitro. Antiviral activity tests in ovo revealed strong inhibitory effects of both FT extract and oseltamivir against H1N1 replication in embryonated eggs. Notably, at a treatment concentration of 150 mg/kg, only half the group administered oseltamivir survived whereas the FT group showed 100% survival, clearly demonstrating the low toxicity of FT extracts. Consistent with these findings, FT-administered mice showed a higher survival rate with lower body weight reduction relative to the oseltamivir group upon treatment 24 h after viral infection. Our collective results suggest that FT extracts exert antiviral effects against influenza H1N1 virus without inducing toxicity in vitro, in ovo or in vivo, thereby supporting the potential utility of FT extract as a novel candidate therapeutic drug or supplement against influenza.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.75-82
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• 2004

Interferons are kinds of cytokines that play an important role in antiviral defense mechanisms during viral infection by converting cells to synthesize proteins that inhibit viral replication. In the present study, an antiviral response against Spring viremia of carp virus (SVCV) was developed in common carp, Cyprinus carpio following stimulation with the potent interferon inducer, poly inosinic : cytidylic acid (poly I:C). Poly I:C injected fish showed lower cumulative mortalities against SVCV than untreated fish did. Moreover, in vitro study showed that head kidney leucocytes (HKLs) produced an interferon-like cytokine (ILC) after stimulation with poly I:C. According cytopathic effect reduction (CPER) assay to examine antiviral activity of crude ILC, the capacity of HKLs for ILC production was highest at 1×$10^6$cells/ml and significantly enhanced when treated with 20~50$\mu{g}$/ml of poly I:C. The optimal temperature and concentration of FBS to induce the highest ILC production were $20^\circ{C}$ and 5%, respectively.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.161-165
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• 1999

The antiviral activity of CAP30 from Chenopodium album, a type1 ribosome-inactivating protein (RIP), was examined against 5 different plant viral pathogens, and its activity against Tobacco mosaic virus was compared to those of well known antiviral proteins such as Pokeweed Antiviral protein from leaves and seeds. When the inoculating concentration of Tobacco mosaic virus was varied from 0.4 to $400{\mu}g/ml$, it was observed that CAP30 at the concentration of $1{\mu}g/ml$ suppressed the viral infection of C. amaranthicolor and C. quinoa almost completely up to $40{\mu}g/ml$ Tobacco mosaic virus. Results from the assays for the inhibitions of in vitro translation of rabbit reticulocyte lysate and the suppression of Tobacco mosaic virus infection ($10{\mu}g/ml$) to C. quinoa indicated that CAP30 is a strong inhibitor of protein synthesis and virus infection. The infection of several viruses other than Tobacco mosaic virus to host plants were also inhibited by $5{\mu}g/ml$ CAP30, suggesting that a gene encoding CAP30 can be used to develop transgenic virus-resistant plants.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.522-527
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• 1995

To develop an antiviral agent for the rice black-streaked dwarf virus (RBSDV), a hammerhead type ribozyme, which has a potential target site on the genome segment 3, was designed. Oligonucleotides for the ribozyme and its substrate were synthesized, annealed, and cloned into a plasmid pBluescript II KS(+). Ribozyme and substrate RNAs were then synthesized by in vitro transcription with $T_3$ RNA polymerase, obtaining RNAs in expected size, 193 and 182 nucleotides, respectively. The substrate RNA was efficiently cleaved into two fragments when incubated with the ribozyme at $55^{\circ}C$, while the cleavage was not detected at $37^{\circ}C$. In addition, the segment 3 RNA of RBSDV was also cleaved into two fragments by the same ribozyme at $55^{\circ}C$. Taken together, our results demonstrated that the hammerhead ribozyme has an in vitro endonucleolytic activity and may be used as an antiviral agent in transgenic plants.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.345-350
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• 2010

Various extracts from 30 medicinal plants were evaluated for their antiviral activity against influenza virus A/Puerto Rico/8/34 (H1N1) and cytotoxicity in MDCK cell culture. The plant material (30 g) was extracted with methanol (300 mL) at room temperature for 24 h, after which the methanolic extracts were filtered, evaporated, and subsequently lyophilized. Evaluation of the potential antiviral activity was conducted by a viral replication inhibition test. Among these medicinal plants, Tussilago farfara, Brassica juncea, Prunus armeniaca, Astragalus membranaceus, Patrinia villosa, and Citrus unshiu showed marked antiviral activity against influenza virus A/H1N1 at concentrations ranging from 0.15625 mg/mL to 1.25 mg/mL, 0.3125 mg/mL to 10 mg/mL, 5 mg/mL to 10 mg/mL, 0.625 mg/mL to 10 mg/mL, 0.625 mg/mL to 10 mg/mL, and 0.3125 mg/mL to 5 mg/mL, respectively. The extracts of Tussilago farfara showed cytotoxicity at concentrations greater than 2.5 mg/mL, whereas the other five main extracts showed no cytotoxicity at concentrations of 10 mg/mL. Taken together, the present results indicated that methanolic extracts of the six main plants might be useful for the treatment of influenza virus H1N1.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.509-533
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• 2021

Background: Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is a refractory complication of herpes zoster (HZ). To prevent PHN, various strategies have been aggressively adopted. However, the efficacy of these strategies remains controversial. Therefore, we aimed to estimate the relative efficacy of various strategies used in clinical practice for preventing PHN using a network meta-analysis (NMA). Methods: We performed a systematic and comprehensive search to identify all randomized controlled trials. The primary outcome was the incidence of PHN at 3 months after acute HZ. We performed both frequentist and Bayesian NMA and used the surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) values to rank the interventions evaluated. Results: In total, 39 studies were included in the systematic review and NMA. According to the SUCRA value, the incidence of PHN was lower in the order of continuous epidural block with local anesthetics and steroids (EPI-LSE), antiviral agents with subcutaneous injection of local anesthetics and steroids (AV + sLS), antiviral agents with intracutaenous injection of local anesthetics and steroids (AV + iLS) at 3 months after acute HZ. EPI-LSE, AV + sLS and AV + iLS were also effective in preventing PHN at 1 month after acute HZ. And paravertebral block combined with antiviral and antiepileptic agents was effective in preventing PHN at 1, 3, and 6 months. Conclusions: The continuous epidural block with local anesthetics and steroid, antiviral agents with intracutaneous or subcutaneous injection of local anesthetics and a steroid, and paravertebral block combined with antiviral and antiepileptic agents are effective in preventing PHN.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.62 no.3
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• pp.19.1-19.6
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• 2022

Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) and Akabane virus (AKAV) are mosquito-borne viruses that cause encephalitis and reproductive disorders in horses and cattle, respectively. There is no treatment for JEV or AKAV infections in animals. Therefore, we evaluated the antiviral activity of 18-mer amphipathic peptides in the 1b-4/21-C series on JEV and AKAV using Vero cells in vitro and evaluated their effects on JEV in mice. Of 6 peptides, 1b-4/21-C12 had the lowest IC₅₀ of 0.313 against JEV and its use as an antiviral against JEV and AKAV was examined. The IC₅₀ of 1b-4/21-C12 against JEV and AKAV was 0.78 and 1.14 µM, respectively. Mice treated with 5 or 2 mg/kg of 1b-4/21-C12 had 32% and 16% survival rates, respectively, and the surviving mice treated with 1b-4/21-C12 began to gain weight beginning 8 days post challenge with the virulent Nakayama strain. Moreover, 20 µM 1b-4/21-C peptide had no cytotoxic effects on Vero cells. Our in vitro and in vivo results indicate that 1b-4/21-C12 has antiviral activity against enveloped JEV and AKAV and might be useful as a therapeutic substance.