In Vitro Anti-adenovirus Activity and Antioxidant Potential of Pistacia atlantica Desf. Leaves

Abstract

<br /><strong><span class="s17"><span class="bumpedFont20">Background and objectives</span></span></strong><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont20"><strong>:</strong> Human adenoviruses cause a wide range of diseases, from self-limiting and mild infections to some life-threatening infections. Many studies have shown that components derived from medicinal plants have antiviral activity. </span></span><span class="s18"><span class="bumpedFont20">Pistacia</span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont20"> genus is rich in phenolic compounds and has antioxidant and antimicrobial effects. The aim of this study was to investigate antioxidant potential and antiviral effects of ethanol and crude extracts and different fractions of </span></span><span class="s18"><span class="bumpedFont20">Pistacia</span></span><span class="s18"><span class="bumpedFont20"> </span></span><span class="s18"><span class="bumpedFont20">atlantica</span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont20"> </span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont20">Desf</span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont20">. leaves on adenovirus. </span></span><strong><span class="s17"><span class="bumpedFont20">Methods:</span></span></strong><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont20"><strong> </strong>Crude</span></span><span class="s18"><span class="bumpedFont20"> P</span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont20">.</span></span><span class="s18"><span class="bumpedFont20"> </span></span><span class="s18"><span class="bumpedFont20">atlantica</span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont20"> leaf extract was prepared by maceration with 80% ethanol. Hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate and n-butanol fractions were prepared using liquid-liquid extraction method. Toxicity on HEp-2 cells and anti-adenoviral activity of the extract/fractions were evaluated by MTT colorimetric methods. The concentration that caused 50% viral inhibition (IC</span></span><span class="s19"><span class="bumpedFont20">50</span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont20">) and 50 % cytotoxicity concentration (CC</span></span><span class="s19"><span class="bumpedFont20">50</span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont20">) were evaluated using regression analysis. Selectivity index (SI), as a marker of antiviral activity, was calculated. To determine antioxidant activity the 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay was used. </span></span><strong><span class="s17"><span class="bumpedFont20">Results:</span></span></strong><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont20"><strong> </strong>Ethyl acetate fraction showed the highest antioxidant activity with IC</span></span><span class="s19"><span class="bumpedFont20">50</span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont20">of 1.54±0.12 </span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont20">μg</span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont20">/mL in DPPH scavenging assay. Based on our results, IC</span></span><span class="s19"><span class="bumpedFont20">50</span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont20"> of </span></span><span class="s18"><span class="bumpedFont20">P. </span></span><span class="s18"><span class="bumpedFont20">atlantica</span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont20"> crude extract on adenovirus was 15.72 </span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont20">μg</span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont20">/mL, with SI of 8.09; n-butanol fraction showed the highest anti-adenoviral activity among the fractions with IC</span></span><span class="s19"><span class="bumpedFont20">50</span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont20">of 16.38 µg/mL and SI of 26.5. </span></span><strong><span class="s17"><span class="bumpedFont20">Conclusion:</span></span></strong><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont20"> The ethanol extract and n-butanol fraction of </span></span><span class="s18"><span class="bumpedFont20">P. </span></span><span class="s18"><span class="bumpedFont20">atlantica</span></span><span class="s4"><span class="bumpedFont20"> leaves showed inhibitory effects on adenovirus and could be a new promising anti-adenovirus agent.</span></span>