Evaluation of the Antiviral Activity of Ballota glandulosissima against Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 (HSV-1)

Abstract

As an effort to search for new antiviral agents from traditional medicine, the methanol and water extracts of Ballota glandulosissima Hub.-Mor & Patzak (Lamiaceae) from Ballota species used as a medicinal plant in Turkey were investigated in vitro for their activities against herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) with a XTT-based colorimetric assay. The antiviral activity of EC50 was defined as the concentration achieved 50% cyto-protection against virus infection and the selectivity index (SI) was determined by the ratio of CC50 (concentration of 50% cellular cytotoxicity) to EC50. As a result of the study, it was determined that both the methanol extract (EC50 = 3584.87 μg/ml; SI = 0.24) and the water extract (EC50 = 2705.22 μg/ml; SI = 0.48) of Ballota glandulosissima had anti-HSV-1 activity which could be regarded as insignificant compared to acyclovir (EC50 = 1.90 μg/ml, SI = 526.32), which is used as a positive control against HSV-1. This study is the first report to assess the anti-HSV-1 activity of Ballota glandulosissima.

Keywords: Ballota glandulosissima, Extracts, Antiviral activity, Herpes simplex virus type 1