Abstract
In this work, an integrated approach for the identification of new antiviral agents
from natural sources for the treatment of acute respiratory infections is presented.
The approach comprises (i) the selection of starting material based on traditional
knowledge, (ii) phenotypic screening of extracts for antiviral activity, and (iii)
the implementation of in silico predictions to identify antiviral compounds and derive the molecular mechanism underlying
their biological activity. A variety of starting materials from plants and fungi was
selected for the production of 162 extracts. These extracts were tested in cytopathic
effect inhibition assays against influenza virus A/Hong Kong/68 (HK/68), rhinovirus
A2 (RV-A2), and coxsackie virus B3 (CV-B3). All extracts were also evaluated regarding
their cytotoxicity. At an IC50 threshold of 50 µg/mL, 20, 11, and 14% of all tested extracts showed antiviral activity
against HK/68, CV-B3, and RV-A2, respectively. Among all active extracts (n = 47),
68% showed antiviral activity against one of the investigated viruses, whereas 31%
inhibited at least two viruses. Herein, we present a comprehensive dataset of probed
extracts along with their antiviral activities and cytotoxicity. Application examples
presented in this work illustrate the phytochemical workflow for the identification
of antiviral natural compounds. We also discuss the challenges, pitfalls, and advantages
of the integrated approach.
Key words
antiviral - influenza - neuraminidase - ethnopharmacology - phenotypic screening