Preliminary characterization and antiviral properties of some secondary metabolites in selected medicinal plants

Abstract

Medicinal plants have been used in traditional health care since prehistoric times and are still the most important health improvement resource for the vast majority of the population all over the world. World Health Organization emphasized importance of scientific research into herbal medicine. The use of antiviral synthetic drugs is often unsatisfactory and limited. Mutant viruses resistant to the existing antiviral agents arise upon treatment or these agents may cause side or toxic effects besides their high costs. In our research different medicinal plants, their parts and two types of propolis were selected for screening. Total phenolic content, total flavonoid content and radical scavenging activity was determined. The results indicated that optimal extrahent is 40%, vol. of ethanol – water mixture. Determined total phenolic content, total flavonoid content and radical scavenging activity indicated that extracts of Origanum Vulgare L., Mentha piperita L., Geranium macrorrhizum L., Melissa officinalis L. and Desmodium canadence L. contains highest amount of extractable phenolic compounds (7.31-7.16 rutin equivalents (mg/ ml) respectively), flavonoid content (2.14 - 1.51 rutin equivalents (mg/ml) respectively) and radical scavenging activity (11.98 - 12.22 rutin equivalents (mg/ml) respectively). Composition of the extracts is analyzed using HPLC. Evaluation of cytotoxicity effect (CE) was tested using Vero cells. Extract of Agastache foeniculum (Pursh) Kuntze showed the highest CE 6.32±0.13 log2 CE50. The research showed that all extracts have various not high CE and they can be used for testing of antiviral properties. The study of antiviral activity of extracts is in progress.