Abstract:
Dengue virus is a serious health risk in tropical and subtropical areas because it can cause serious illnesses like dengue hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome. The challenges in developing effective vaccines and treatments, combined with the risks of antibody-dependent enhancement, underscore the urgent demand for alternative therapies. The antiviral qualities of chebulinic acid, a bioactive substance derived from Terminalia chebula that has long been utilized in medicine, are examined in the present study. Using bioinformatics, we performed pharmacokinetic analysis and docking simulations to assess Chebulinic Acid’s interaction with dengue virus proteins, including the Envelope protein and NS2B/NS3 replication complex. The results revealed that Chebulinic Acid inhibits viral entry and replication, demonstrating strong capability against all four serotypes. In-vitro studies using Vero cells demonstrated that Chebulinic
Acid effectively reduces viral titers in co-infection treatment, as shown in Focus Forming Unit (FFU) assays. Additionally, cell viability assays indicated its low cytotoxicity, with significant Antiviral function at the EC50 level.
While the precise mechanism remains unclear, our findings suggest that CA primarily hinders viral entry, with potential effects on viral replication needing further investigation. This research highlights Chebulinic Acid as a promising plant-derived antiviral candidate for DENV, with further studies required to fully explore its therapeutic capacity.
