Molecules. 2013 Aug 9;18(8):9550-66. doi: 10.3390/molecules18089550.
Melaleuca alternifolia concentrate inhibits in vitro entry of influenza virus into host cells.
Abstract
Influenza
virus causes high morbidity among the infected population annually and
occasionally the spread of pandemics. Melaleuca alternifolia Concentrate
(MAC) is an essential oil derived from a native Australian tea tree.
Our aim was to investigate whether MAC has any in vitro inhibitory
effect on influenza virus infection and what mechanism does the MAC use
to fight the virus infection. In this study, the antiviral activity of
MAC was examined by its inhibition of cytopathic effects. In silico
prediction was performed to evaluate the interaction between MAC and the
viral haemagglutinin. We found that when the influenza virus was
incubated with 0.010% MAC for one hour, no cytopathic effect on MDCK
cells was found after the virus infection and no immunofluorescence
signal was detected in the host cells. Electron microscopy showed that
the virus treated with MAC retained its structural integrity. By
computational simulations, we found that terpinen-4-ol, which is the
major bioactive component of MAC, could combine with the membrane fusion
site of haemagglutinin. Thus, we proved that MAC could prevent
influenza virus from entering the host cells by disturbing the normal
viral membrane fusion procedure.
- PMID:
- 23966077
- [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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