Green synthesis of MnO NPs using Arabic gum: assessing its potential antiviral activity against influenza A/H1N1.

BACKGROUND

The antiviral properties of metal nanoparticles against various viruses, including those resistant to drugs, are currently a subject of intensive research. Recently, the green synthesis of nanoparticles and their anti-viral function have attracted a lot of attention. Previous studies have shown promising results in the use of Arabic gum for the green synthesis of nanoparticles with strong antiviral properties. In this study we aimed to investigate the antiviral effects of MnO nanoparticles (MnO-NPs) synthesized using Arabic gum, particularly against the influenza virus.

METHODS

Arabic gum was used as a natural polymer to extract and synthesize MnO-NPs using a green chemistry approach. The synthesized MnO-NPs were characterized using SEM and TEM. To evaluate virus titration, cytotoxicity, and antiviral activity, TCID50, MTT, and Hemagglutination assay (HA) were performed, respectively. Molecular docking studies were also performed to investigate the potential antiviral activity of the synthesized MnO-NPs against the influenza virus. The molecular docking was carried out using AutoDock Vina software followed by an analysis with VMD software to investigate the interaction between Arabic gum and the hemagglutinin protein.

RESULTS

Simultaneous combination treatment with the green-synthesized MnO-NPs resulted in a 3.5 log HA decrement and 69.7% cellular protection, which demonstrated the most significant difference in cellular protection compared to the virus control group (p-value < 0.01). The docking results showed that binding affinities were between - 3.3 and - 5.8 kcal/mole relating with the interaction between target with MnO and beta-D-galactopyranuronic acid, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The results of the study indicated that the MnO-NPs synthesized with Arabic gum had significant antiviral effects against the influenza virus, highlighting their potential as a natural and effective treatment for inhibition of respiratory infections.