An in vitro antiviral evaluation of punicalagin toward influenza A virus

Javadi-Farsani, Fatemeh; Karimi, Ali; Razavi Nikoo, Hadi; Moradi, Mohammad-Taghi; Tabarraei, Alijan

doi:10.22038/ajp.2023.23389

An in vitro antiviral evaluation of punicalagin toward influenza A virus

Document Type : Original Research Article

Authors

¹ Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran

² Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Basic Health Sciences Institute, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran

³ Department of Microbiology and Virology, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran

⁴ Medical Plants Research Center, Basic Health Sciences Institute, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran

⁵ Infectious Diseases Research Center, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran

10.22038/ajp.2023.23389

Abstract

Objective: Influenza complications are mild to serious, and can
cause death in some cases. A great deal of attention has been paid
in recent years to the development and use of new antiviral
compounds to overcome drug resistance in certain strains of the
influenza virus and treat the clinical implications. This studyaimed
to investigate the antiviral effect of punicalagin and itsassociated
mechanism against influenza A (H1N1) virus in vitro.
Materials and Methods: the ant-influenza activity of punicalagin
was studied in Madin-Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK) cells using
influenza virus A/Puerto Rico/8/34 (H1N1) (PR8) using
Hemagglutinin assay (HA) and 50% tissue culture infective dose
(TCID50). Then, the inhibition of haemagglutination, virucidal
activity, inhibitory effect at different times, replication of viral
RNA and expression of viral genes were investigated.
Results: Punicalagin could inhibit influenza virus infection with
50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 3.98 μg/ml and selectivity
index (SI) value of 6.1. Punicalagin decreased virus titers with an
inhibitory effect on virus hemagglutination (p<0.05). Punicalagin
also inhibited viral adsorption. The results of virus RNAreplication
and viral mRNA (NS1 and HA) expression aftertreatment with
punicalagin showed significant suppression of viral mRNA
expression but no effect on replication of viral RNA.
Conclusion: The results of the present study indicated that
punicalagin was effective against influenza infection mostprobably
via inhibition of haemagglutination activity and virusbinding.

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