Antiviral activity of Rheum palmatum methanol extract and chrysophanol against Japanese encephalitis virus

• Published in: Archives of pharmacal research 2014, 37(9), , pp.1117-1123
• Main Authors: Chang, Shu-Jen, Huang, Su-Hua, Lin, Ying-Ju, Tsou, Yi-Yun, Lin, Cheng-Wen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Anthraquinones - pharmacology; Antiviral Agents - isolation & purification; Antiviral Agents - pharmacology; Cell Line; Cell Survival - drug effects; Drugs, Chinese Herbal - isolation & purification; Drugs, Chinese Herbal - pharmacology; Encephalitis Virus, Japanese - drug effects; Encephalitis Virus, Japanese - growth & development; Encephalitis Virus, Japanese - physiology; Ethnopharmacology; Genes, Reporter - drug effects; Inhibitory Concentration 50; Interferon-Stimulated Gene Factor 3 - agonists; Interferon-Stimulated Gene Factor 3 - genetics; Interferon-Stimulated Gene Factor 3 - metabolism; Luciferases, Firefly - chemistry; Luciferases, Firefly - genetics; Luciferases, Firefly - metabolism; Medicine; Mesocricetus; Methanol - chemistry; Pharmacology/Toxicology; Pharmacy; Promoter Regions, Genetic - drug effects; Recombinant Fusion Proteins - chemistry; Recombinant Fusion Proteins - genetics; Recombinant Fusion Proteins - metabolism; Research Article; Rheum - chemistry; Solvents - chemistry; Virus Replication - drug effects; 약학
• ISSN: 0253-6269; 1976-3786
• DOI: 10.1007/s12272-013-0325-x

Rheum palmatum , Chinese traditional herb, exhibits a great variety of anti-cancer and anti-viruses properties. This study rates antiviral activity of R. palmatum extracts and its components against Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) in vitro. Methanol extract of R. palmatum contained higher levels of aloe emodin, chrysophanol, rhein, emodin and physcion than water extract. Methanol extract (IC 50  = 15.04 μg/ml) exhibited more potent inhibitory effects on JEV plaque reduction than water extract (IC 50  = 51.41 μg/ml). Meanwhile, IC 50 values determined by plaque reduction assay were 15.82 μg/ml for chrysophanol and 17.39 μg/ml for aloe-emodin, respectively. Virucidal activity of agents correlated with anti-JEV activity, while virucidal IC 50 values were 7.58 μg/ml for methanol extract, 17.36 μg/ml for water extract, 0.75 μg/ml for chrysophanol and 0.46 μg/ml for aloe-emodin, respectively. In addition, 10 μg/ml of extract, chrysophanol or aloe emodin caused 90 % inhibition of JEV yields in cells and significantly activated gamma activated sequence-driven promoters. Hence, methanol extract of R. palmatum and chrysophanol with high therapeutic index might be useful for development of antiviral agents against JEV.