Planta Med 2002; 68(2): 106-110
DOI: 10.1055/s-2002-20238
Original Paper
Pharmacology
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Antiviral Activity of Seven Iridoids, Three Saikosaponins and One Phenylpropanoid Glycoside Extracted from Bupleurum rigidum and Scrophularia scorodonia

Paulina Bermejo1 , María José Abad1 , Ana María Díaz2 , Lidia Fernández2 , Javier De Santos2 , Sandra Sanchez2 , Lucinda Villaescusa2 , Luis Carrasco3 , Alicia Irurzun3
  • 1Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University Complutense, Madrid, Spain
  • 2Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University Alcala, Madrid, Spain
  • 3Centro de Biología Molecular (CSIC-UAM), Universidad Autónoma, Madrid, Spain
Further Information

Publication History

March 9, 2001

March 31, 2001

Publication Date:
22 February 2002 (online)

Abstract

As part of our screening of antiviral agents from medicinal plants, 11 compounds from plant origin (Bupleurum rigidum and Scrophularia scorodonia), three saikosaponins, seven iridoids and one phenylpropanoid glycoside were tested in vitro against herpes simplex type I (HSV-1), vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) and poliovirus type 1. Five of these compounds showed antiviral activity against VSV. The percentages of cellular viability at the non-toxic limit concentrations of the active compounds were: verbascoside 53.6 % at 500 μg/ml, 8-acetylharpagide 32.1 % at 500 μg/ml, harpagoside 43.3 % at 450 μg/ml, scorodioside 47.8 % at 500 μg/ml and buddlejasaponin IV 56.9 % at 25 μg/ml. Although none of the saikosaponins were active against HSV-1, the iridoid scorodioside showed moderate in vitro anti-HSV-1 activity (30.6 % at 500 μg/ml). However, none of the compounds tested in this survey had any effect against poliovirus.

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Dr. Paulina Bermejo Benito

Department of Pharmacology

Faculty of Pharmacy

University Complutense

28040 Madrid

Spain

Email: naber@eucmax.sim.ucm.es

Fax: + 34 - 1-3 941 726