AMB Volume 42, Issue 2, 2026 Pages 224-230 https://doi.org/10.59393/amb26420206
Screening of Plant Extracts, Ribavirin, and Ionophore Antibiotics on the Replication of Vaccinia Virus
Gergova A., Petrov N., Mukova L., Gavrilov B., Stoyanova M., Valkova M., Mihova T.
Vaccinia virus (VACV), a member of the family Poxviridae, is widely used as a model organism for studying Оrthopoxvirus biology and for evaluating potential antiviral compounds. The increasing emergence of viral infections and the risk of zoonotic Оrthopoxvirus transmission emphasize the need for new antiviral agents. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the antiviral activity of selected plant extracts, ribavirin, and ionophore antibiotics against Vaccinia virus replication in Vero cell cultures. Cytotoxicity and antiviral activity were determined using a neutral red uptake assay. The cytotoxic concentration (CC50), inhibitory concentration (IC50), and selectivity index (SI) were calculated. Plant extracts from Lavandula angustifolia and Moringa oleifera were tested alongside ribavirin and the ionophore antibiotics monensin and salinomycin. The results demonstrated varying inhibitory effects on viral replication. Ribavirin showed moderate antiviral activity, whereas monensin and salinomycin exhibited stronger inhibition but higher cytotoxicity. Plant extracts demonstrated low toxicity but limited antiviral activity. These findings highlight the potential of natural products and ionophore antibiotics as sources of antiviral compounds and emphasize the need for further studies to identify molecules with improved antiviral selectivity.
Keywords: Vaccinia virus, antiviral activity, plant extracts, Ribavirin, Monensin, Salinomycin, Vero cells
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