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. 2014 Jul-Sep;34(1):33-8.
doi: 10.4103/0257-7941.150777.

In vitro evaluation of anti-herpes simplex-1 activity of three standardized medicinal plants from Lamiaceae

Mehdi Ansari  1 , Fariba Sharififar  2 , Ali Mohammad Arabzadeh  3 , Firoozeh Mehni  2 , Manosur Mirtadzadini  4 , Zahra Iranmanesh  3 , Najmeh Nikpour  3
Affiliations

In vitro evaluation of anti-herpes simplex-1 activity of three standardized medicinal plants from Lamiaceae

Mehdi Ansari et al. Anc Sci Life. 2014 Jul-Sep.

Abstract

Background: Rosmarinic acid (RA) is a phenolic acid with antioxidant and anti-viral effects. We have studied anti-herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) effect of three medicinal plants from Lamiaceae family which have been standardized on the basis of RA content.

Materials and methods: Methanolic extract of Teucrium polium, Ziziphora clinopoides, and Salvia rhytidea was prepared by maceration method and RA content of the plants was determined using a spectrophotometric method. Maximum nontoxic concentration (MNTC) of the extracts was determined using neutral red method. Serial dilutions of extracts up to MNTC were examined on Vero cells for anti-HSV-1 effect by plaque assay in comparison to acyclovir as a positive control.

Results: Among the tested extracts, T. polium contained the highest percentage of RA (1.8%w/w) and exhibited the least toxicity (MNTC = 1000 μg/ml). The greatest anti-HSV-1 was shown by T. polium and Z. clinopoides extracts which exhibited both time and concentration-dependent plaque inhibition.

Conclusion: Considering the low toxicity and significant anti-viral effect of T. polium extract, this plant would prove valuable as an active anti-viral drug.

Keywords: Herpes simplex-1; Salvia rhytidea; Teucrium polium; Ziziphora clinopoides; plaque inhibition; rosmarinic acid.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Plaque inhibitory effect of the extracts of Teucrium polium, Ziziphora clinopoides, and Salvia rhytidea against herpes simplex virus-1. In different concentrations up to maximum nontoxic concentra-tion. Each experiment was repeated in triplicate, and the results were reported as mean ± standard deviation
Figure 2
Figure 2
Time-dependent activity of Teucrium polium extract against herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1). HSV-1 was incubated with different nontoxic concentrations of T. polium extract for different amounts of time. Each experiment was repeated in triplicate, and the results were reported as mean ± standard deviation
Figure 3
Figure 3
Time-dependent activity of Ziziphora clinopoides extract against herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1). HSV-1 was incubated with different nontoxic concentrations of Z. clinopoides extract for different amounts of time. Each experiment was repeated in triplicate, and the results were reported as mean ± standard deviation
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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