Journal of Microbiology

Journal Article

Inhibitory effects of bee venom and its components against viruses in vitro and in vivo: Md Bashir Uddin , Byeong-Hoon Lee , Chamilani Nikapitiya , Jae-Hoon Kim , Tae-Hwan Kim , Hyun-Cheol Lee , Choul Goo Kim , Jong-Soo Lee , Chul-Joong Kim; J. Microbiol. 2016;54(12):853-866. Published online November 26, 2016; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-016-6376-1

Abstract: Bee venom (BV) from honey bee (Apis Melifera L.) contains at least 18 pharmacologically active components including melittin (MLT), phospholipase A2 (PLA2), and apamin etc. BV is safe for human treatments dose dependently and proven to possess different healing properties including antibacterial and antiparasitidal properties. Nevertheless, antiviral properties of BV have not well investigated. Hence, we identified the potential antiviral properties of BV and its component against a broad panel of viruses. Co-incubation of non-cytotoxic amounts of BV and MLT, the main component of BV, significantly inhibited the replication of enveloped viruses such as Influenza A virus (PR8), Vesicular Stomatitis Virus (VSV), Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), and Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV). Additionally, BV and MLT also inhibited the replication of non-enveloped viruses such as Enterovirus-71 (EV-71) and Coxsackie Virus (H3). Such antiviral properties were mainly explained by virucidal mechanism. Moreover, MLT protected mice which were challenged with lethal doses of pathogenic influenza A H1N1 viruses. Therefore, these results provides the evidence that BV and MLT could be a potential source as a promising antiviral agent, especially to develop as a broad spectrum antiviral agent.

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Antiviral Activities of Flavonoids Isolated from the Bark of Rhus verniciflua Stokes against Fish Pathogenic Viruses In Vitro: So Young Kang , Ji-Young Kang , Myung-Joo Oh; J. Microbiol. 2012;50(2):293-300. Published online April 27, 2012; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-012-2068-7

Abstract: An 80% methanolic extract of Rhus verniciflua Stokes bark showed significant anti-viral activity against fish pathogenic infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV) and viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) in a cell-based assay measuring virus-induced cytopathic effect (CPE). Activity-guided fractionation and isolation for the 80% methanolic extract of R. verniciflua yielded the most active ethyl acetate fraction, and methyl gallate (1) and four flavonoids: fustin (2), fisetin (3), butin (4) and sulfuretin (5). Among them, fisetin (3) exhibited high antiviral activities against both IHNV and VHSV showing EC50 values of 27.1 and 33.3 μM with selective indices (SI = CC50/EC50) more than 15, respectively. Fustin (2) and sulfuretin (5) displayed significant antiviral activities showing EC50 values of 91.2– 197.3 μM against IHNV and VHSV. In addition, the antiviral activity of fisetin against IHNV and VHSV occurred up to 5 hr post-infection and was not associated with direct virucidal effects in a timed addition study using a plaque reduction assay. These results suggested that the bark of R. verniciflua and isolated flavonoids have significant anti-viral activity against IHNV and VHSV, and also have potential to be used as anti-viral therapeutics against fish viral diseases.

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