ANTIVIRAL EFFECT OF SELECTED MEDICINAL PLANTS 1: EFFECT OF DIOSPYROS BATERI, DIOSPYROS MONBUTENSIS AND SPHENOCENTRUM JOLLYANUM ON POLIO VIRUSES

Abstract

Methanolic extracts of the different morphological parts of three medicinal plants, Diospyros bateri, Diospyros monbutensis and Sphenocentrum jollyanum were evaluated for their antiviral activities on polio virus Types 1, 2, and 3. The leaf and root extracts of S. jollyanum, the seed extracts of D. monbutensis as well as the leaf extract of D. bateri were active against polio virus Type 2 in both the ‘post-treatment assay' and ‘pre-treatment assay' protocols. The seed extract of D. bateri were active against polio virus Type 2 in ‘post-treatment assay only'. Toxicity level of each plant extract or indicator cell lines were also determined and found to range from Minimum Cytotoxic Dose (MCD50) of 3.9x10-3 mg ml-1 for crude methanol leaf extract of S. jollyanum on Hep-2 (Human Epithelia cell line) to MCD50 of 1.2x10-7 mg ml-1 for leaf methanol extract of D. bateri on Vero cell line (African Green Monkey Fibroblast). Phytochemical screening of the plants revealed that tannins and saponins were present in the three plants while only D. monbutensis contain both combined and free anthraquinones.


KEY WORDS: Diospyrus bateri, Diospyros monbutensis, Sphenocentrum jollyanum, polio virus


[Nig J Natural Products & Medicine Vol.6 2002: 4-6]