Study of Guettarda angelica in vitro antiviral activity on animal herpesvirus

• Grant number: 06/00558-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: July 01, 2006
• End date: December 31, 2007
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Applied Microbiology
• Principal Investigator: Maria Judite Bittencourt Fernandes
• Grantee: Alyne Vieira Barros
• Host Institution: Instituto Biológico (IB). Agência Paulista de Tecnologia dos Agronegócios (APTA). Secretaria de Agricultura e Abastecimento (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Viral infections are an important health problem in all over the world. Treatment with synthetic drugs is often unsatisfactory and limited. Studies have been made in research on natural products with antiviral activity. The present work aims to study in vitro cytotoxicity and antiviral activity of Guettarda angelica and their fractions against bovine type 1 herpesvirus (BHV-1) and swine herpesvirus (SuHV-1). These viruses are responsible among others causes by abortion in cattle and swine. The extract and fractions will be dissolved in sterile de-ionized distilled water and minimum Eagle’s medium-MEM (2x concentrated) and firstly assayed for cell toxicity previous the antiviral studies. The cytotoxicity of extract or fraction will be evaluated through cellular morphology alterations (MDBK cells) by microscopic examination determining the each maximum non-toxic concentration (MNTC). For antiviral assay, the MDBK cells previously treated with the extract and fractions at MNTC will be inoculated with viral logarithmic dilutions. The antiviral evaluation will be based on inhibition of cytophatic effect. Inhibitory activities will be calculated as the difference of virus titer between treated and untreated control cultures. Values equal or > 1.5 log were considered significant and expressed as the Viral Inhibition Index (VII). (AU)