In Vitro Antiviral Activity of Extract against Human Herpesvirus Type 1.

Plant polyphenols possess diverse bioactivities, including antiviral activity against a broad spectrum of viruses. Here, we investigated the virucidal properties of an extract using an in vitro model of human herpesvirus type 1 (HHV-1) infection. Chromatographic analysis indicated that the extract of is rich in various compounds, among which are polyphenols with virucidal activity confirmed in the literature. We found that extract shows an ability to prevent HHV-1 infection by direct inhibition of the virus attachment, penetration, and blocking of infection when used in pretreatment or post-entry treatment. Our results indicate that extract may be a good candidate drug against HHV-1, both as a substance to prevent infection and to treat an already ongoing infection. Our findings illustrate that could be a potential new candidate for clinical consideration in the treatment of HHV-1 infection alone or in combination with other therapeutics.