Antiviral Effect Assay of Thymus Kotschyanus and Nerium Oleander on HSV-1 in Vitro

The treatment of HSV-1 diseases with the anti-herpes drugs often leads to the problem of viral resistance. There is a requirement for new efficient antiviral drugs. Medicinal plants with therapeutic application for different ailments in traditional medicine can be a useful way in this field. In the present study، Thymus kotschyanus and Nerium oleander with ethno-medical background were screened for antiviral property on HSV-1. The plants were extracted to obtain crude aqueous extract. These extracts were screened for their cytotoxicity against Hep II cell line by CPE (cytopathic effect(assay. Antiviral effect of the plant extracts were determined by cytopathic effect inhibition assay. CC50 of Nerium oleander and Thymus kotschyanus extract was obtained with 4. 73μg/ml and 9. 28 ×102μg/ml respectively. Thymus kotschyanus extract inhibited HSV-1 multiplication at concentrations of 200-900μg/ml. Its EC50 and IC50 was 48. 36 μg/ml and 1. 12 ×102μg/ml. Thymus kotschyanus plant showed significant Antiviral effect on HSV-1، but Nerium oleander plant was toxic on it. Further research is required to find the mechanism of these plants’ effects in order to be used in conformation of anti-herpes drugs.