A Review of Medicinal Plants with Anti-Dengue Virus Activity

Abstract

Dengue virus is an arthropod-borne infectious agent that causes dengue disease. The virus spreads by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitos. Due to the neglegent care given to the infection, the vectors as well as the virus have expanded globally and millions have already been affected by dengue infection as regards reports by ECDC, CDC and WHO. Dengue virus infection have been alleviated by erratic treatments since there is no precise formulation against it. However, there are plenteous clinical risks alongside using the drugs, this leaves human with no other choices than to reason for other alternative means of treatment to decrease the deleterious effects to minimal level. To introduce newer candidate anti-dengue pharmaceutical agent with minimal/ or no therapeutic lapses, botanical treatments have highly been recognized. Medicinal plants have been observed to be of health benefit in dengue virus infection through promoting immunocompetence, supplying pharmacological aids such as prophylactic effects, decrease viral amplification and lowering morbid condition. The potential anti-dengue activity of medicinal plants have been exemplified in the literature as the principal interest. We tried to find the existing factors behind virucidal activity of plants in the context of anti-dengue virus and the consulted publications indicated that certain flavonoids (Kaempferol-3-Orutinoside, Rutin, Hyperoside, Epicatechin Resveratrol, Quercetin, Emodin, Emodin-8-beta-D-glucoe and Polydatin), Tannins (Galic acid, Tannic acids), Alkaloids (Artesonic Acid, Homoegonol, Myristicin), Fatty acids (Methyldodecanoic acid, Dodecanoic acid, Tridecanoic acid, 12-methyl-methyl-esters, n-hexadecanoic acid), Terpenoids (Beta-asarone, Acoric acid, Andrographolide, Caryophyllene, Cyclododocane) and many others could be the major antiviral factors. This study will assist in giving better insights on anti-dengue activity of medicinal plants divulging dengue virus reliable combaters eventually. However, it is needful to conduct heightened critical clinical studies in this vein for proper verification.