In Vitro Evaluation of Antiviral / Virucidal Activity of Naja Nubiae (Elapidae) Venom Against Rift Valley Fever and Herpes Simplex Virus Type -1 (HSV-1) Using Cell Culture

Abstract

Background: Venoms are pretentious products secreted by snake, invertebrates and scorpions. Venoms composed of different proteins, toxic fractions, enzymes and hormones. Some fractions proved bioactivity including anticoagulation. antimicrobial and anticancer activity. Objective: The aim of the current study was to in vitro evaluate the Antiviral / virucidal activity of Naja nubia (Elapidae) venom against Rift Valley Fever (RVFv) and Herpes simplex virus type -1 (HSV-1) using cell culture. Materials and methods: Toxicity of tested venom was performed using cell culture to determine the safe concentration using MTT assay. Antiviral activity was conducted by precultured cell treatment with safe concentration of snake venom for 24 hr. then virus was dispensed as 0.1 ml / well in quadrate for each dilution. TCID50s of snake venom safe concentration treated and untreated cells were determined. The difference is the antiviral activity. Virucidal was conducted by mixing one part of virus models with nine parts of the safe concentration of snake venom at 37 o C. The infectivity titer / time interval was determined according to Reed and Menuch equation. Result: Data record revealed that the cell viability was concentration dependent recording an IC50 of 9.3 µg/ ml. Also, venom showed a very limited antiviral activity but the virucidal activity was time dependent and showed a depletion rate in the order of 0.72 log (10) and 0.94 log (10) /hr. for RVFV and HSV-1 respectively indicating that RVFv was moderately sensitive than HSV-1. Conclusion:It could be concluded that Naja Nubiae venom is a potentially virucidal agent than antiviral one with persistent inactivation potential.