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Planta Med 2002; 68(9): 780-783
DOI: 10.1055/s-2002-34397
Original Paper
Pharmacology
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Antiviral Activity of Characterized Extracts from Echinacea spp. (Heliantheae: Asteraceae) against Herpes simplex Virus (HSV-I)

S. E. Binns1 , J. Hudson2 , S. Merali1 , J. T. Arnason1
  • 1Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
  • 2Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
Further Information

Publication History

Received: December 17, 2001

Accepted: May 25, 2002

Publication Date:
30 September 2002 (online)

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Abstract

Extracts of 8 taxa of the genus Echinacea were found to have antiviral activity against Herpes simplex (HSV) virus Type I in vitro when exposed to visible and UV-A light. n-Hexane extracts of roots containing alkenes and amides were more active in general than ethyl acetate extracts containing caffeic acids. The most potent inhibitors of HSV were E. pallida var. sanguinea crude (70 % ethanol) inflorescence extract (MIC = 0.026 mg/mL), cichoric acid (MIC = 0.045 mg/mL) and Echinacea purpurea n-hexane root extract (MIC = 0.12 mg/mL).


Key words

Echinacea - Asteraceae - antiviral - cichoric - amide - alkene - Herpes

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Dr. J. T. Arnason

Department of Biology

University of Ottawa

P.O. Box 450 Station A

Ottawa ON K1N 6N5

Canada

Email: jarnason@science.uottawa.ca

Fax: +1-613-562-5765