Planta Med 2014; 80 - P2B93
DOI: 10.1055/s-0034-1394970

Passiflora edulis leaves ethanol extracts activity against herpes viruses

M Huleihel 1, A Jabareen 1
  • 1Department of Virology and Developmenral Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel

Passiflora edulis (Pe) is considered as a traditional medicinal plant with different therapeutic effects [1]. In the present study we examined, in vitro, the antiviral potential of aqueous and ethanolic leaf extracts of P. edulis on herpes simplex viruses 1 and 2 (HSV-1, HSV-2), and on Varicella-Zoster virus (VZV) [2]. Viral infection development was evaluated by plaque assay [3]. Our results showed significantly higher antiviral activity of the ethanolic extract against all tested viruses, when compared to the aqueous extract. The 80%-MeOH fraction of the ethanolic extract offered the highest activity against these viruses, with 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 4.01 ± 0.18, 7.02 ± 0.30 and 2.30 ± 0.15 µg/ml against HSV-1, HSV-2, and VZV respectively, without any significant cytotoxicity. Most prominent antiviral activity was obtained when the 80%-MeOH fraction was added during the infection, or when it was incubated with the virus particles prior to infection. Also, a significant inhibition of the viral infection was obtained when this fraction was added after viral entry into the host cells, probably as a result of a significant delay in the production of infective viral particles inside the infected cells. A synergistic antiviral effect against all tested viruses was also observed when cells were treated with a combination of acyclovir (ACV) and 80%-MeOH fraction of Pe. Further study is required for the isolation and purification of the anti-virally active component/s of this Pe fraction.

Keywords: Passiflora edulis, ethanolic extract, herpes virus, acyclovir

References:

[1] De-Paris F, Petry RD, Reginatto FH, Gosmann G, Quevedo J et al. Pharmacochemical Study of Aqueous Extracts of Passiflora alata Dryander and Passiflora edulis Sims. Acta Farm. Banaerense 2002; 21: 5 – 8.

[2] Gabarin A, Huleihil M, Huleihel M. Effect of Passiflora edulis leaves extracts on herpes viruses infection. JVA 2013; doi: 10.4172/2324 – 8955.1000108.

[3] Huleihel M, Ishanu V, Tal J, Arad (Mallis) S. Antiviral effect of red microalgal polysaccharides on Herpes Simplex and Varicella zoster viruses. J Appl Phycology 2001; 13, 127 – 134.