VIRUCIDAL, ANTIVIRAL AND IMMUNOMODULATORY ACTIVITIES OF β-ESCIN AND AESCULUS HIPPOCASTANUM EXTRACT

MICHELINI, FLAVIA M.; ALCHÉ, LAURA E.; BUENO, CARLOS A.

JOURNAL OF PHARMACY AND PHARMACOLOGY

PHARMACEUTICAL PRESS-ROYAL PHARMACEUTICAL SOC GREAT BRITIAN

Año: 2018

0022-3573

Objectives:escin, one of the constituents of Aesculus hippocastanum L. (Hippocastanaceae) seed extract (AH), inhibits NF-kappaB activation, which plays an important role in HSV-1 replication. The aim was to examine the antiherpetic activity of escin and AH, as well as their effect on the activation of NF-kappaB and AP-1 and cytokine secretion in epithelial cells and macrophages. Methods: Cell viability was evaluated using MTT assay, and antiviral and virucidal activity was determined by plaque assay. Effect on NF-kappaB and AP-1 signaling pathways activation was determined by a luciferase reporter assay, and cytokine production was measured by ELISA.Key findings: escin and AH had virucidal and anti-HSV-1 activities, and the antiviral activity was discovered for other enveloped viruses (VSV and Dengue). Moreover, escin and AH significantly reduced NF-kappaB and AP-1 activation and cytokine production in macrophages stimulated with HSV-1 and TLRs ligands. However, an enhanced activation of these pathways and an increase in the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in escin and AH treated HSV-1-infected epithelial cells was found. Conclusion: This study demonstrates virucidal and broad spectrum antiviral activities for escin and AH. Besides, escin and AH modulate cytokine production depending on the stimuli (viral or no-viral) and the cell type under study.