DOI: 10.4103/apjtb.apjtb_276_26 ISSN: 2221-1691
Antiviral activity of Sonchus arvensis L. extracts on dengue virus replication
Nurin Naziha Zulkefle, Nurhafiza Zainal, Dwi Kusuma Wahyuni, Mahmood Syed, Kim Ling Chin
Objective:
To investigate the antiviral potential of
Sonchus arvensis
L. extracts against dengue virus (DENV)-1 and DENV-2
in vitro
, and elucidate its underlying antiviral mechanisms.
Methods:
The cytotoxicity of the ethanol, ethyl acetate, and
n
-hexane extracts of
Sonchus arvensis
L. was determined using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium assay, followed by post-treatment antiviral assays. Multiple treatment regimens were conducted to assess antiviral effects at different stages of the DENV replication cycle. qRT-PCR analysis was performed to evaluate the effects of the ethanol extract on genes associated with host innate immune and inflammatory responses.
Results:
The CC
50
values of the ethanol, ethyl acetate, and
n
-hexane extracts were 391.5 μg/mL, 104.9 μg/mL, and 409.2 μg/mL, respectively. The ethanol and ethyl acetate extracts reduced DENV- 1 and DENV-2 titers by >90% at 30-50 μg/mL, while the
n
-hexane extract showed comparable activity against DENV-2. The ethanol extract at 30 μg/mL demonstrated potent multi-stage antiviral activity, including direct virucidal, prophylactic, anti-adsorption, and anti-internalization effects. qRT-PCR analysis revealed no significant change in
IFN-β
expression but marked suppression of
NF-κB
,
TNF-α
, and
IL-6
expression.
Conclusions:
Sonchus arvensis
L. ethanol extracts demonstrate potent multi-stage antiviral activity against DENV
in vitro
, highlighting its ability to inhibit viral entry, reduce viral replication, and attenuate excessive inflammatory responses.