Antiviral activity of medicinal plant extracts

Abstract

Dichloromethane and ethanol extracts of 12 plants with a history of use in traditional medicine, were tested for antiviral activity against herpes simplex type I. The most potent inhibition was shown by ethanol extracts of Eugenia jambos, Cistus populifolius, Lippia alba, Chiranthodendron pentadactylon and Tuberaria lignosa. These extracts, and others that had no effect, were chosen for more extensive studies against poliovirus type 1 and vesicular stomatitis virus. It was found that the ethanol extracts of Eugenia jambos, Chiranthodendron pentadactylon and Santolina oblongifolia inhibited the replication of VSV, but none of the extracts investigated had any effect on poliovirus replication. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.