Therapeutic efficacy in BALB/C mice of extract from marine alga Canistrocarpus cervicornis (Phaeophyceae) against herpes simplex virus type 1

Abstract

Studies with diterpenes from marine brown alga Canistrocarpus cervicornis showed the antiviral potential of the products from this alga in controlling the replication of HSV-1 and maintaining low cytotoxicity. Hence, the aim of this work was to evaluate the anti-herpetic efficacy of C. cervicornis extract ointment in BALB/c mice. To test the anti-herpetic efficacy in vivo, four groups of BALB/c mice (n = 5) were used: 1-untreated, 2-extract ointment (2 % or 0.4 mg cm −2 dose −1 ), 3-Acyclovir cream (5 % or 1.0 mg cm −2 dose −1 ), and 4-ointment base. The right midflank of each mouse was clipped and depilated with a chemical depilatory. After 2 days, the skin area was scratched and inoculated with HSV-1. The ointments and cream were applied three times a day over a 16-day period, beginning 1 h after virus inoculation. The development of skin lesions was continuously monitored and scored. To evaluate the effect of C. cervicornis topical treatment on biochemical parameters and on body weight, two uninfected groups were formed: an untreated group and a group treated with ointment C. cervicornis extract (2 %). The signs of infection appeared from the second day after infection, while on the 10th day of the experiment, the ointment base and untreated groups had significantly more severe lesions than did the groups that were treated with extract (p < 0.05) or acyclovir (p < 0,01). The topical application of extract ointment did not change body weight, hepatic, or renal function suggesting that the extract has a low toxicity in this route of administration. These results suggest that the extract may be useful in reducing the severity of HSV-1 cutaneous lesions.

Viral inhibitors derived from macroalgae, microalgae, and cyanobacteria: A review of antiviral potential throughout pathogenesis

“…Diterpenes are small molecules composed of four isoprene units and are found throughout nature. A diterpene-based topical ointment from Canistrocarpus cervicornis, a brown alga (Phaeophyceae), was recently evaluated against the spread of HSV-1 via cutaneous lesion [ 61 ] ( Table 2 ). In this investigation, mice were scratched, inoculated with HSV-1, and then treated with diterpene ointment.…”

Antiviral Potential of Algal Metabolites—A Comprehensive Review

“…The untreated animals showed significantly more severe lesions than the ones treated with a 2% diterpene extract ointment (p < 0.05) or acyclovir (p < 0,01). These results, combined with the absence of secondary effects, suggest that C. cervicornis extract is a very promising anti-HsV agent for cutaneous use [52].…”

Antiviral effect of the seaweed Osmundaria obtusiloba against the Zika virus

“…Previously seaweed extracts have been reported with little cytotoxicity (Alencar et al, 2014) but with considerable antiviral activity, for example, in studies with HIV (Nogueira et al, 2016) and against Herpes (de Souza Barros et al, 2017).…”