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Early Viral Entry Assays for the Identification and Evaluation of Antiviral Compounds
Published on: October 29, 2015
Ajwa date extract (Phoenix dactylifera L.): Phytochemical analysis, antiviral activity against herpes simplex virus-I
Ahmad K Aljohani1, Nader A Maghrabi1, Osama M Alrehili1
1From the Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Chemistry (Aljohani), College of Pharmacy; from the College of Pharmacy (Maghrabi, Alrehili, Alharbi, Alsihli, Alharthe, Albladi, Alosaimi, Albadrani); from the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology (Miski, Elbadawy, Alrehaili), College of Pharmacy, Taibah University, Al-Medinah Al-Munawarah, from the Departmet of Chemistry (Hussein), Collage of Science, Jouf University, Aljouf, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; from the Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Science (Abdelkarem), Kyushu University, Kyushu, Japan; from the Department of Pharmacognosy (Abdelkarem), Faculty of Pharmacy; and from the Department of Chemistry (Hussein), Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Assiut, Egypt.
Objectives:
To investigate the phytochemical composition of Ajwa date extract and evaluate its antiviral activity and mechanism of action.
Methods:
High perfomance liquid chromatography, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry were used to analyze the phytochemical profile of Ajwa date extract. The antiviral activity was assessed using the MTT colorimetric assay against herpes simplex virus type I (HSV-I) and coxsackievirus B4 (CVB-4). Assessment of the mechanism of action against HSV-I was carried out using 3 protocols. Molecular docking and quantum chemical calculations were carried out to predict the binding affinities of the identified compounds to viral glycoprotein D.
Results:
A total of 17 metabolites belonging to different classes of metabolites, mainly flavonoids, phenolic acid derivatives, fatty acids, and sugar derivatives. Ajwa extract exhibited antiviral activity against HSV-I with an IC: 50 of 113.99±4.67 μg/mL, whereas it showed limited activity against CVB-4. The antiviral activity of Ajwa extract was mainly attributed to its cell protectant activity by preventing adherence of viral to host cell with an IC: 50 equal to 57.82±1.37μg/mL. Molecular docking studies indicated that chlorogenic acid had the strongest binding affinity to viral glycoprotein D, which suggests its potential role in inhibiting viral entry into host cells.
Conclusion:
The Ajwa date extract demonstrated promising antiviral activity, especially against HSV-I. Integrating in vitro and in silico analyses provided valuable insights into the mechanisms of action.
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