Antiviral effect of artemisinin.

Romero M, Serrano M, Vallejo M, Efferth T, Alvarez M, Marin J. 2006. Antiviral effect of artemisinin from Artemisia annua against a model member of the Flaviviridae family, the bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV). PlantaMed 72:1169-74. (CB)

The Flaviviridae family includes the viruses bovine diarrhea virus (BVDV), Japanese encephalitis virus and the hepatitis C virus. BVDV was used to test the effectiveness of antiviral substances on the fiaviviridae family as it is not infective for humans and therefore safer to handle.

Artemisinin from Artemisia annua, human recombinant interferon-[alpha] (IFN-[alpha]) and ribavirin were added to BVDV infected bovine epithelial cells and incubated for 72h. All three compounds were found to recover the viability of infected cells. All three compounds were found to be similar in effectiveness in cell recovery with ribavirin and artemisinin having no deleterious effect on non infected host cells. When used in combination the three compounds had an additive effect.

Each of the three compounds achieved its antiviral activity through different mechanisms. The results of this study suggest the potential usefulness of artemisinin in combination with current pharmacological therapy for the treatment of human veterinary infections by flaviviruses.

Jerome Sarris

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Cara Barnes

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