Anti-phytoviral Activity of Carvacrol vis-a-vis Cauliflower Mosaic Virus (CaMV)

Abstract

Viruses are causative agents of infections in plants which are found worldwide and cause a serious threat to modern agriculture. Since the effect of viral infections is decreased by reducing the population of the vector by spraying the pesticides, they have serious effects on human beings and the ecosystem. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the potential of natural plant product carvacrol as an anti-phytoviral agent against cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) with the proposed mode of action. In the present study, in vitro and in vivo inhibitory effect of carvacrol was examined in comparison with a roundup at varying concentrations, against the CaMV. It was purified from the infected leaf of Brassica oleracea. In addition, the inhibitory mechanism of carvacrol was studied after docking the carvacrol with P2 and P3 protein of CaMV virus using AutoDock 4.2 software. It was found that out of different concentrations of carvacrol (1 µl, 1.5 µl, 2 µl, 2.5 µl and 3 µl) tested in vitro and in vivo, 3 µl resulted 85.1% and 75% inhibition in comparison with roundup which showed 76.2% and 70%, respectively. Molecular docking showed an inhibitory mechanism of carvacrol against CaMV by effective binding with P3 protein in the pocket defined by chain C and chain A. The present study concluded the anti-phytoviral activity of carvacrol against CaMV by retarding its growth as a result of inhibiting P3 protein.