Antiviral activity of Avicennia marina (Forssk.) Vierh. on Poliovirus in cell culture

Avicenniaceae family is a member of true mangrove plants which has one genus, 11 species and several sub species. Avicennia marina (Forssk.) Vierh. is the most current species among these plants in Iranian mangrove forest. Regarding to the presence of some active biological constituents in this species and their applications in traditional and alternative medicine, an attempt was made to evaluate the antiviral effects of leaf extract on vaccine strain of polio virus (sabin) in Vero cell line. Glycerin 10% solution was used as solvent for leaf extraction. Cytotoxicity of the extract on Vero cells was studied. Also effect of the extract on the infectivity of vaccine strain of polio virus before and after its attachment to Vero cells were assessed. In this experiment, cytotoxic concentration 50(CC50) was estimated 5750.96 µg/ml and subsequently inhibitory concentration 50 (IC50) of the extract before and after the virus attachment were 145.7 µg/ml and 314.3 µg/ml, respectively. Finally, selectivity Index (SI) of the extracts were calculated 39.5 and 18.3, respectively. According to the obtained SI values, it could be concluded that hot glycerin extract of Avicennia marina leaf showed the significant inhibitory effect on infectivity of polio virus in Vero cell line and it is justified to be suggested for further research in order to formulate natural compounds with antiviral qualities.