Sains Malaysiana 53(2)(2024): 383-396

http://doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2024-5302-12

Evaluation for Antiviral Potential of Ficus deltoidea against Dengue Virus Type-2

(Penilaian Potensi Antivirus Ficus deltoidea terhadap Virus Denggi Jenis-2)

YUAN SENG WU^1,2, SHERYAR AFZAL^3,*, V. APPALARAJU⁴, TAN QI WEI ⁴, AIMI SYAMIMA ABDUL MANAP³ & IBRAHIM ALBOKHADAIM³

¹Sunway Microbiome Centre, School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, 47500 Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia

²Department of Medical Education, School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, Subang Jaya 47500, Selangor, Malaysia

³Department of Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine, King Faisal University, Al Hofuf, Saudi Arabia

⁴Department of Scientific Basis of Therapeutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, MAHSA University, Bandar Saujana Putra, 42610 Jenjarom, Selangor, Malaysia

Received: 15 October 2023/Accepted: 19 January 2024

Abstract

Dengue is one of the most widespread arthropod-borne viral diseases that cause negative impact globally. Presently, no effective drug is available to safeguard people against dengue. Ficus deltoidea is Malaysia's famous traditional herb belonging to Moraceae family due to its pharmacological potential. F. deltoidea leaves (FDL) were extracted with n-hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol. Cell cytotoxicity study using MTT assay measuring the formazan absorbance was conducted to determine maximum non-toxic concentration on Vero cells. The antiviral activities of various concentrations of FDL extracts were assessed using virus reduction neutralisation tests against dengue virus type 2. The CC₂₀ value of n-hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol FDL extracts were 2.99 ± 0.31, 22.15 ± 2.39, and 25.22 ± 0.42 µg/mL, respectively. Methanol FDL extract at maximum non-toxic concentration exerted strongest direct extracellular virucidal effect against DENV-2. In cell protection assay, ethyl acetate FDL extract achieved highest reduction in viral infectivity (98.17%), whereas n-hexane FDL extract showed strongest inhibition in DENV-2 viral replication in post-infection assay. Methanol FDL extract showed highest selectivity index value in direct virus inhibition, cell protection and post-infection assay. Conclusively, FDL extracts, especially methanol FDL showed potential antiviral activity against DENV-2, thus considered as promising anti-dengue agent.

Keywords: Antiviral; cytotoxicity; dengue virus type 2; Ficus deltoidei; MTT assay

Abstrak

Denggi ialah salah satu penyakit virus bawaan artropod yang paling meluas yang menyebabkan kesan negatif di seluruh dunia. Pada masa ini, tiada ubat yang berkesan tersedia untuk melindungi orang ramai daripada denggi. Ficus deltoidea ialah herba tradisi Malaysia yang terkenal kepunyaan famili Moraceae kerana potensi farmakologinya. Daun F. deltoidea (FDL) diekstrak dengan n-heksana, etil asetat dan metanol. Kajian sitotoksisiti sel menggunakan ujian MTT yang mengukur penyerapan formazan telah dijalankan untuk menentukan kepekatan tidak toksik maksimum pada sel Vero. Aktiviti antivirus pelbagai kepekatan ekstrak FDL dinilai menggunakan ujian peneutralan pengurangan virus terhadap virus denggi jenis 2. Nilai CC₂₀ bagi ekstrak FDL n-heksana, etil asetat dan metanol masing-masing ialah 2.99 ± 0.31, 22.15 ± 2.39 dan 25.22 ± 0.42 µg/mL. Ekstrak metanol FDL pada kepekatan tidak toksik maksimum memberikan kesan virusidal ekstrasel langsung yang paling kuat terhadap DENV-2. Dalam ujian perlindungan sel, ekstrak FDL etil asetat mencapai pengurangan tertinggi dalam kejangkitan virus (98.17%), manakala ekstrak n- heksana FDL menunjukkan perencatan paling kuat dalam replikasi virus DENV-2 dalam ujian pasca jangkitan. Ekstrak metanol FDL menunjukkan nilai indeks selektiviti tertinggi dalam perencatan virus langsung, perlindungan sel dan ujian pasca jangkitan. Secara kesimpulannya, ekstrak FDL, terutamanya metanol FDL menunjukkan potensi aktiviti antivirus terhadap DENV-2, oleh itu dianggap sebagai agen anti-denggi yang berpotensi.

Kata kunci: Antivirus; Ficus deltoidei; sitotoksisiti; ujian MTT; virus denggi jenis 2

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*Corresponding author; email: safzal@kfu.edu.sa