Antiviral properties of herbal flavonoids – inhibitors of the DNA and RNA synthesis

 Biopolym. Cell. 2013; 29(2):150-156.

http://dx.doi.org/10.7124/bc.000813

Bioorganic Chemistry

Antiviral properties of herbal flavonoids – inhibitors of the DNA and RNA synthesis

1Palchykovska L. G., 1Vasylchenko O. V., 1Platonov M. O., 2Starosyla D. B., 2Porva J. I., 1Rymar S. J., 2Atamaniuk V. P., 1Samijlenko S. P., 2Rybalko S. L.

1. Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, NAS of Ukraine
   150, Akademika Zabolotnoho Str., Kyiv, Ukraine, 03680
2. Gromashevsky L.V. Institute of Epidemiology and Infection Diseases, AMS of Ukraine
   5, Amosova Str., Kyiv, Ukraine, 03038

Abstract

Aim. To investigate influence of the Deschampsia caespitosa L. and Calamagrostis epogeios L. herbal extract (HE) and its main components – quercetin derivatives – on the DNA and RNA synthesis; to per- form comparative analysis of their antiviral activities. Methods. The model transcription system of bacteriophage T7 (RNAP T7) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were used as test systems. For antiviral studies there were employed models of influenzal and herpetic infections and hepatitis C. Results. It was shown, that HE, its major component 7, 3'-dimetoxyquercetin (DMQ) its minor component 5,7,3',4'-tetrametho- xyqeercetin (TMQ) effectively inhibited the RNA synthesis in the RNAP T7 system with the corresponding values of IC₅₀ – 0.07, 4 and 1 µg/ml. Minimal concentrations of the agents IC₉₀, completely inhibiting PCR, were – 8, 30 and 40 µg/ml for HE, TMQ and DMQ, accordingly. All the studied preparations revealed high multiple antiviral activities against the RNA- and DNA-containing viruses. Conclusions. Antiviral activity of the herbal extract is likely determined by the combined action of its components, TMQ and DMQ including. Bearing in mind multi-target profile of quercetin derivatives, an assumption may be made, that antiviral mechanism of the agents studied consists in blocking of enzymatic systems of the RNA and DNA synthesis.

Keywords: herbal quercetin derivatives, inhibitors of RNA and DNA synthesis, antiviral activity

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