Ponce RLR, del Barrio AGC, Spengler SI, Resik AS, Roque QA

Language: Spanish
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ABSTRACT

Introduction: Echovirus 9 (E9) is a highly prevalent human enterovirus causing severe systemic diseases such as aseptic meningitis and to a lesser degree child mortality as well. No antiviral treatment or vaccine is available for this virus, as is the case with most enteroviruses. Algae from the genus Sargassum are a promising source of compounds with antiviral activity, a fact that has stimulated the search for new drugs against these viruses.
Objective: evaluate the in vitro antiviral activity of a hydroalcoholic extract from the brown alga Sargassum fluitans against Echovirus 9.
Methods: qualitative determination was made of the types of secondary metabolites (phytochemical screening) present in the extract, using the Rondina and Coussio technique, 1969. Evaluation of the cytotoxicity of the extract in the Vero cell line was performed by the MTT method, and CC50 was estimated by linear regression analysis. Estimation of antiviral activity (CE50) was conducted by inhibition of the cytophatic effect in Vero cells. Determination was made of the selective index (SI)= CC50/CE50.
Results: phytochemical screening revealed the presence of quinones, proanthocyanidins, catechins, polar triterpenes, hydrolyzable tannins, reducing sugars, non-reducing sugars and proteins. The extract was not cytotoxic at the concentrations evaluated, and strongly inhibited Echovirus 9 replication in the study cell line with a high SI (95.05).
Conclusions: the hydroalcoholic extract of S. fluitans has in vitro antiviral activity against Echovirus 9. This is the first report of antiviral activity of this species against enteroviruses.