Screening of Nepalese medicinal plants for antiviral activity

In an ethnopharmacological screening, plants used in Nepalese traditional m edicine were evaluated for antiviral activity. Methanolic and methanolic-aq ueous extracts derived of 23 species were assayed in two in vitro viral sys tems, influenza virus/MDCK cells and herpes simplex virus/Vero cells. Two s pecies, Bergenia ligulata and Nerium indicum showed the highest antiinfluen zaviral activity with 50% inhibitory dose of 10 mug/ml. Holoptelia integrif olia and N. indicum exhibited considerable antiviral activity against herpe s simplex virus. None of these extracts showed cytotoxic effects. Additiona lly for B. ligulata and H. integrifolia partial protease inhibitory activit y was estimated. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved .