Friend or foe: association of Euphorbia spp. with Epstein–Barr virus and Burkitt's lymphoma, an in silico approach

Abstract

Aim: Epstein–Barr virus-related Burkitt's lymphoma (BL) is characterized by EBNA1 expression. Previous studies have hypothesized a correlation between Burkitt's lymphoma and endemicity of Euphorbia spp. whereas others have suggested it possesses antiviral activity. We aimed to investigate the effect of Euphorbia spp. on BL. Methods: AutoDock Vina, GROMACS 2020.4 and VEGA-QSAR were used for in silico assessments. Results: Daphnoretin had a higher binding affinity than the EBNA1 inhibitor VK0044, maintained a steady ligand RMSD value and displayed the largest negative binding energy at the EBNA1 active site. Conclusion: Daphnoretin, a phytochemical of Euphorbia spp., had superior inhibitory activity of EBNA1 over other tested chemicals, suggesting it is an effective therapeutic drug candidate.