Abstract
BackgroundThe arthropod-borne Mayaro virus (MAYV) causes ‘Mayaro fever’, a disease of medical significance, primarily affecting individuals in permanent contact with forested areas in tropical South America. Recently, MAYV has attracted attention due to its likely urbanization. Currently, there are no licensed drugs against most mosquito-transmitted viruses. Here, we investigated the in vitro anti-MAYV activity of the flavonoids quercetin and its derivatives from the Brazilian shrub Bauhinia longifolia (Bong.) Steud.MethodsFlavonoids were purified by chromatographic fractionation from leaf extracts of B. longifolia and chemically identified as quercetin and quercetin glycosides using spectroscopic techniques. Cytotoxicity of purified flavonoids and of EtOAc- and n-BuOH-containing flavonoid mixtures was measured by the dye-uptake assay while their antiviral activity was evaluated by a virus yield inhibition assay.ResultsThe following flavonoids were purified from B. longifolia leaves: non-glycosylated quercetin and its glycosides guaijaverin, quercitrin, isoquercitrin, and hyperin. EtOAc and n-BuOH fractions containing these flavonoids demonstrated the highest antiviral activity of all tested substances, while quercetin had the highest antiviral activity amongst purified flavonoids. Quercetin, EtOAc, or n-BuOH fractions inhibited MAYV production by more than 90% at 25 μg/mL, displaying a stronger antiviral effect than the licensed antiviral ribavirin. A mixture of the isomers isoquercitrin and hyperin had a modest antiviral effect (IC90 = 104.9), while guaijaverin and quercitrin did not show significant antiviral activity.ConclusionsB. longifolia is a good source of flavonoids with anti-Mayaro virus activity. This is the first report of the activity of quercetin and its derivatives against an alphavirus.
Highlights
The arthropod-borne Mayaro virus (MAYV) causes ‘Mayaro fever’, a disease of medical significance, primarily affecting individuals in permanent contact with forested areas in tropical South America
Flavonoids quercetin and quercetin derivatives are found in extracts of B. longifolia leaves HPLC-DAD analysis revealed that EtOAc and n-BuOH fractions from the methanol extract of B. longifolia show similar chemical profiles (Figure 1A), displaying varying proportions of five major compounds having UV absorption typical of flavonoids (Figure 1B)
The simplicity of the foliar flavonoid metabolism of B. longifolia is revealed by the absence of kaempferol derivatives and by the identification of quercetin derivatives only
Summary
The arthropod-borne Mayaro virus (MAYV) causes ‘Mayaro fever’, a disease of medical significance, primarily affecting individuals in permanent contact with forested areas in tropical South America. More than 200 species of arboviruses have been isolated in urban areas in Brazil, including approximately. 40 species causing diseases in humans, including the Mayaro fever [2], which is caused by the Mayaro virus (MAYV). Mayaro virus (MAYV), a member of the Togaviridae family (genus Alphavirus), was first isolated in Trinidad in 1954 [3]. Since the initial description of MAYV, several small outbreaks of Mayaro fever have been reported in rural communities in northern Brazil and in eastern Bolivia [6,7,8]. MAYV antibodies have been detected in human and animal populations in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Panama, Peru, Surinam, Trinidad and Tobago, dos Santos et al Parasites & Vectors 2014, 7:130 http://www.parasitesandvectors.com/content/7/1/130
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
