Natural Products With Anti-Herpes Activities: In Vivo Studies

Abstract

Herpes are a group of similar viruses that are responsible for a number of infecting diseases, the most important of which are herpes simplex, herpes zoster and pseudopox. Resistance to traditional antiviral medications is becoming increasingly common, making treatment of such infections even more difficult. For example, the usage of nucleoside analogues like acyclovir to target the DNA-polymerase of the virus on a regular and long-term basis promotes the generation of resistant viruses. As a result, a different treatment is required. Natural products, such as herbal remedies, have been shown to have in vitro and in vivo activity against herpes viruses, and have shown to be a valuable source for new antivirals development and separation. The goal of this review is to highlight the most promising extracts and pure chemicals obtained from plants and marine species that have in vivo anti-herpes simplex virus (HSV-1 and HSV-2) action. Natural products as new anti-HSV medications offer a number of benefits, including fewer side effects, minimal toxicity, and lowered resistance, and a variety ways of deed.