Inhibitory Effect of Peppermint Extracts and Menthol against Herpes Simplex Virus Infection
Raenu Yucharoen, Pettiman Meepowpan and Yingmanee Tragoolpua* Author for corresponding; e-mail address: yingmanee.t@chiangmai.ac.th
Volume: Vol.39 No.1 (JANUARY 2012)
Research Article
DOI:
Received: 11 July 2011, Revised: -, Accepted: 19 October 2011, Published: -
Citation: Yucharoen R., Meepowpan P. and Tragoolpua Y., Inhibitory Effect of Peppermint Extracts and Menthol against Herpes Simplex Virus Infection, Chiang Mai Journal of Science, 2012; 39(1): 97-110.
Abstract
Herpes simplex virus (HSV) is pathogenic to humans. This study demonstrated anti-herpes simplex virus activity of dichloromethane and methanol extracts of peppermint, and pure compound, menthol on green monkey kidney cells. The cells were prevented from HSV-1 infection when the cells were treated before viral infection by the dichloromethane and methanol extracts of peppermint with therapeutic indices (TI) of 1.79 and 1.09, respectively. Dichloromethane extracts of peppermint demonstrated higher inhibitory effects during HSV-1 and HSV-2 adsorption with TI of 4.21 and 7.63 while TI of 5.41 and 3.15 were observed after HSV-1 and HSV-2 adsorption. HSV-1 and HSV-2 were also inhibitory menthol with TI of 1.79 and 2.12 after viral adsorption. HSV-1 and HSV-2 viral particles were directly inhibited and viral yield was reduced when treatment with peppermint extracts and menthol. The inhibition of approximately 40 kDa HSV proteins, which might involve HSV capsid assembly, was observed after treatment with the dichloromethane extract. Therefore, peppermint extracts and menthol showed anti-HSV activities at various stages of the viral multiplication cycle.