Tricin inhibits the CCL5 induction required for efficient growth of human cytomegalovirus

Polyphenol rich sugarcane extract (PRSE) has potential antiviral activity against influenza A virus in vitro

Influenza A virus (IAV) is one of the major global public health concerns but the emerging resistance of IAV to currently available antivirals requires the need to identify potential alternatives. Polyphenol rich sugarcane extract (PRSE) is an extract prepared from the sugarcane plant Saccharum Officinarum. Herein we aimed to determine if PRSE had antiviral activity against IAV. We showed that treatment of IAV-infected cells with PRSE results in a dose-dependent inhibition of virus infection at concentrations that were non-cytotoxic. PRSE treatment limited the early stages of infection, reducing viral genome replication, mRNA transcription and viral protein expression. PRSE did not affect the ability of IAV to bind sialic acid or change the morphology of viral particles. Additionally, PRSE treatment attenuated the replication of multiple IAV strains of the H3N2 and H1N1 subtype. In conclusion, we show that PRSE displays antiviral activity against a broad range of IAV strains, in vitro.

Flavonoids Target Human Herpesviruses That Infect the Nervous System: Mechanisms of Action and Therapeutic Insights

Human herpesviruses (HHVs) are large DNA viruses with highly infectious characteristics. HHVs can induce lytic and latent infections in their host, and most of these viruses are neurotropic, with the capacity to generate severe and chronic neurological diseases of the peripheral nervous system (PNS) and central nervous system (CNS). Treatment of HHV infections based on strategies that include natural products-derived drugs is one of the most rapidly developing fields of modern medicine. Therefore, in this paper, we lend insights into the recent advances that have been achieved during the past five years in utilizing flavonoids as promising natural drugs for the treatment of HHVs infections of the nervous system such as alpha-herpesviruses (herpes simplex virus type 1, type 2, and varicella-zoster virus), beta-herpesviruses (human cytomegalovirus), and gamma-herpesviruses (Epstein–Barr virus and Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus). The neurological complications associated with infections induced by the reviewed herpesviruses are emphasized. Additionally, this work covers all possible mechanisms and pathways by which flavonoids induce promising therapeutic actions against the above-mentioned herpesviruses.

Natural Products and Their Derivatives against Human Herpesvirus Infection

Herpesviruses establish long-term latent infection for the life of the host and are known to cause numerous diseases. The prevalence of viral infection is significantly increased and causes a worldwide challenge in terms of health issues due to drug resistance. Prolonged treatment with conventional antiviral drugs is more likely to develop drug-resistant strains due to mutations of thymidine nucleoside kinase or DNA polymerase. Hence, the development of alternative treatments is clearly required. Natural products and their derivatives have played a significant role in treating herpesvirus infection rather than nucleoside analogs in drug-resistant strains with minimal undesirable effects and different mechanisms of action. Numerous plants, animals, fungi, and bacteria-derived compounds have been proved to be efficient and safe for treating human herpesvirus infection. This review covers the natural antiherpetic agents with the chemical structural class of alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenoids, polyphenols, anthraquinones, anthracyclines, and miscellaneous compounds, and their antiviral mechanisms have been summarized. This review would be helpful to get a better grasp of anti-herpesvirus activity of natural products and their derivatives, and to evaluate the feasibility of natural compounds as an alternative therapy against herpesvirus infections in humans.