Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 7, 2026

Assays for the Identification of Novel Antivirals against Bluetongue Virus
12:02

Assays for the Identification of Novel Antivirals against Bluetongue Virus

Published on: October 11, 2013

14.5K

High-throughput screening identifies paullinic acid as an antiviral agent against Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus

Zhenwei Jia1, Xiaoli Mo1, Shidong Jiang2

  • 1Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Sericultural and Animal Biotechnology, School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212100, China.

Pesticide Biochemistry and Physiology
|December 5, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Paullinic acid from natural products inhibits Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) by disrupting lipid homeostasis. This discovery offers a new therapeutic strategy for the sericulture industry, increasing silkworm survival rates.

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Natural Product Chemistry
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) severely impacts the sericulture industry.
  • No effective antiviral drugs currently exist for BmNPV infections.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To establish a high-throughput screening platform for identifying BmNPV antiviral compounds.
  • To discover novel therapeutic agents from natural products against BmNPV.

Main Methods:

  • Developed a BmNPV-eGFP-based high-throughput screening platform.
  • Screened 235 natural products for antiviral activity.
  • Conducted mechanistic studies on identified inhibitors, including lipid analysis.
  • Evaluated the efficacy of Paullinia cupana extract in vivo.

Main Results:

  • Identified paullinic acid as a potent BmNPV inhibitor, reducing viral replication without cytotoxicity.
  • Paullinic acid disrupted lipid homeostasis by lowering triacylglycerol, free fatty acids, and cholesterol.
  • Paullinia cupana extract significantly increased survival rates in BmNPV-infected silkworms.
  • Cyclosporin A, 1-methylinosine, and Fenofibrate were also identified as potential inhibitors.

Conclusions:

  • Natural products represent a promising source for developing anti-BmNPV therapeutics.
  • Lipid modulation is a novel and effective antiviral strategy for BmNPV.
  • This study provides a foundation for new treatments in the sericulture industry.
Keywords:
Antiviral agentsBmNPVHigh-throughput screeningLipid metabolismPaullinic acidSilkworm

More Related Videos

High-throughput Screening for Broad-spectrum Chemical Inhibitors of RNA Viruses11:34

High-throughput Screening for Broad-spectrum Chemical Inhibitors of RNA Viruses

Published on: May 5, 2014

14.3K
Arbovirus Infections As Screening Tools for the Identification of Viral Immunomodulators and Host Antiviral Factors06:02

Arbovirus Infections As Screening Tools for the Identification of Viral Immunomodulators and Host Antiviral Factors

Published on: September 13, 2018

7.3K

Related Concept Videos

Inhibitors Of Virion Release01:25

Inhibitors Of Virion Release

Viral replication and dissemination rely on efficient mechanisms for host cell entry, genome replication, assembly, and release. Influenza viruses, such as types A and B, are negative-sense single-stranded RNA viruses with a segmented genome, that depend on two critical surface glycoproteins to carry out these processes: hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA). HA initiates infection by binding to sialic acid residues on the surface of host epithelial cells, facilitating receptor-mediated...
Inhibitors of Virion Maturation and Assembly01:19

Inhibitors of Virion Maturation and Assembly

As part of their replication cycle, certain viruses synthesize long precursor proteins called polyproteins within infected host cells. In human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), two major polyproteins are produced: Gag and Gag-Pol. The Gag polyprotein supplies the structural components of the virus, while Gag-Pol includes essential viral enzymes such as reverse transcriptase, integrase, and protease. After synthesis, these polyproteins move to the host cell membrane, where they assemble into an...