Characterization of acyclovir-resistant Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 and screening for alternatives antiviral from natural sources

Abstract

Infections due to Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) resistant to acyclovir (ACV) represent an important clinical concern in immunocompromised patients. Therefore herein Twenty five patients samples were collected (swab form infected site+ venous blood sample). All blood samples undergone HSV-1 IgG and HSV-1 IgM tests and then swab samples were confirmed with HSV-1 real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. All propagated samples were tested for sensitivity to ACV drug. Resistance to ACV urged scientists to search for alternatives to the ACV from natural sources, Therefore forty two plant extracts (leaf extracts) were tested for the antiviral activity against resistant HSV-1. The forty two leaves extracts undergone ethyl extraction and examined for the cytotoxicity on the Vero cell line, where the safe doses were used in the antiviral bioassay test against resistant HSV-1.Then we studied the chemical composition and mechanism of inhibition of the positive extracts which had antiviral effect on the resistant HSV-1 and calculated the protective index for each one. Our studies showed that leaf extracts of Aloe vira. Ficus benghalensis, Gossypium barbadens and Umbilicus erectus had excellent inhibition to ACV resistant HSV-1. The results from the qualitative chemical analysis of the four leaf extracts of Aloe vira, Ficus benghalensis, Gossypium barbadense and Umbilicus erectus showed that all of them contained tannins. The results from the mechanism of inhibition tests showed that all of them had virucidal effect on ACV resistant HSV-1.