Anti-Human Cytomegalovirus Activity of Constituents from Sasa Albo-Marginata (Kumazasa in Japan)

Abstract

Background: Effective new anti-human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) agents and regimens need to be developed. We examined the anti-HCMV properties of crude extract (True World Extract of Bambuseae sasa [TWEBS]) and five compounds (p-coumaric acid, 3-hydroxy-4-methoxyben-zaldehyde [vanillin], p-hydroxybenzaldehyde, 3-hydroxypyridine and 4',5,7-trihydroxy-3',5'-dimethoxyflavone [tricin]), isolated from Sasa albo-marginata, a bamboo known in Japan as Sasa. Methods: Among TWEBS and five compounds screened in a plaque reduction assay, four showed anti-HCMV activity in the MRC-5 human embryonic fibroblast cell line. The anti-HCMV mechanisms of the TWEBS was examined by western blot analysis using primary antibody specific for an immediate early (IE) antigen of HCMV, for a structural late antigen of HCMV and for β-actin. Results: Treatment of cells with ⩾0.001% of TWEBS inhibited the observable cytopathic effects of HCMV on infected cells. Western blot analysis demonstrated that TWEBS decreased the expression of IE antigen and late antigen of HCMV in the infected cells. Next, we examined the anti-HCMV properties of five compounds isolated from TWEBS. In a viral plaque reduction assay, tricin showed dose-dependent inhibitory properties with a 50% effective concentration of 0.17 µug/ml (selective index =1,205.8). Conclusions: The hot water extract (TWEBS) of Sasa albo-marginata, with tricin isolated from it, has anti-HCMV activity in MRC-5 cells. TWEBS and/or tricin are a novel compound with potential anti-HCMV activity. Future studies should evaluate these findings in vivo.

Tricin—a potential multifunctional nutraceutical

“…Watanabe 1999;Kwon et al 2002;Kwon and Kim 2003;Lu et al 2006;Maurício Duarte-Almeida et al 2006;Hasegawa et al 2008;Mu et al 2008) due to its potent inhibition of lipoperoxidation and its sparing effect on vitamin E in erythrocyte membranes Rice-Evans et al 1997;Pietta 2000); as an antiviral (Li et al 2005;Sakai et al 2008); antihistaminic Kuwabara et al 2003); and in immunomodulatory (Liang et al 1997;Wang et al 2004) and antitubercular (Gu et al 2004) activities. The promising antiulcerogenic activity of tricin and its 7-glucoside was recently reported with a curative ratio of 77 and 79%, respectively (Awaad et al 2008).…”

Anti-cytomegalovirus effects of tricin are dependent on CXCL11

“…The tricin (4 0 ,5,7-trihydroxy-3 0 ,5 0 -dimethoxyflavone) compounds used were isolated from the hot water extract of dried Sasa albo-marginata leaves [23] and synthetic tricin (Fig. 1), and were suspended in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as described previously [24].…”

“…1), has anti-HCMV activity in a human embryonic fibroblast cell line [23,24]. As the development of drug resistance is a constant concern, the search for new antiviral agents from a variety of sources, including plants, has become more urgent [25].…”

Dietary Tricin Suppresses Inflammation-Related Colon Carcinogenesis in Male Crj: CD-1 Mice

“…of the authors (15). In brief, the dried leaves (50 kg) were combined with water (1,000 l) and extracted at 170°C over a period of 3 h. The extracted solution was filtered.…”

“…Evidence for the biological activity of tricin in rodents has recently been reported. These biological activities include antioxidative (13,14), antiinflammatory, antiviral (15), and antihistamic (16) activities. These same biological activities have been observed in other promising cancer chemopreventive agents (17)(18)(19)(20).…”