Abstract
Plant products provide an alternative and successful source of lead compounds for the pharmaceutical industry. The present study was aimed to evaluate, in cell-based assays, the antiviral properties of essential oils obtained from plants that commonly grow in Sardinia, Italy, against a broad spectrum of RNA/DNA viruses. The essential oils of Helichrisumitalicum (Roth) G. Don ssp. microphyllum (Willd.) Nyman, Laurus nobilis L., Mirtuscommunis L., Pistacia lentiscus L., Salvia officinalis L., Saturejathymbra L., Lavandula angustifolia Mill., Foeniculum vulgare Mill., and Eucalyptus globulus Labill. were extracted by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Interestingly, the essential oil of Salvia officinalis showed moderate activity against bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), an enveloped RNA virus belonging to the Flaviviridae family. BVDV is responsible for several clinical manifestations in bovines, including respiratory, gastroenteric, and reproductive diseases, with a significant economic impact. With the aim to individuate the constituent of the Salvia officinalis responsible for the biological activity, we tested the major components of the oil: camphene, β-pinene, limonene, 1,8-cineole, cis-thujone, camphor, (E)-caryophyllene, and α-humulene. Here, we describe α-humulene as an active component that is non-cytotoxic and active against BVDV (EC50 = 36 µM). Its antiviral effects were evaluated using virucidal cytopathic effect inhibition and viral yield reduction assays. This is the first scientific report showing the anti BVDV effects of Salvia officinalis essential oil and α-humulene as the main active component.
Highlights
Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) is a small, enveloped virus with a single-stranded, positive-sense RNA genome belonging to the genus Pestivirus in the Flaviviridae family
The study described in this paper investigatedthe antiviral effect of essential oils obtained from plants that commonly grow in Sardinia against a broad spectrum of viruses
Don ssp. microphyllum (Willd.) Nyman, Laurus nobilis L., Mirtuscommunis L., Pistacia lentiscus L., Salvia officinalis L., Saturejathymbra L., Lavandula angustifolia Mill., Foeniculum vulgare Mill., and Eucalyptus globulus Labill.were evaluated for their potential antiviral activity
Summary
Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) is a small, enveloped virus with a single-stranded, positive-sense RNA genome belonging to the genus Pestivirus in the Flaviviridae family. BVDV is the etiological agent of serious diseases in cattle and other ruminants [1,2,3]. Infection by BVDV induces a range of clinical manifestations including respiratory problems, gastroenteric diseases, and reproductive diseases. There are two biotypes: cytopathic (CP) and non-cytopathic (NCP). CPs are related to mucosal diseases with ulceration of the gastrointestinal tract, diarrhea, and dehydration up to the death of the subject, while the NCP biotype is related to persistent infection (PI) [4,5]. PI by BVDV in a pregnant cow can result in a wide range of clinical manifestations, such as resorption; abortion; mummification; or in case of fetuses who survive early infection, may be abnormally formed, blind, or with skeletal defects, weak immune system, respiratory problems, or have an underdeveloped brain [7,8]
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