<i>Carica papaya</i> Leaf Extract Silver Synthesized Nanoparticles Inhibit Dengue Type 2 Viral Replication In Vitro

The current global occurrence of dengue infection annually is approximately 400 million, with a case fatality rate of 2.5%. However, there are no antiviral agents. <i>Carica papaya</i> leaf extract is known for its medicinal value, due to the presence of organic compounds that possess an...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Antonia Windkouni Bere, Omuyundo Mulati, James Kimotho, Florence Ng’ong’a
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-07-01
Series:Pharmaceuticals
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/14/8/718
Description
Summary:The current global occurrence of dengue infection annually is approximately 400 million, with a case fatality rate of 2.5%. However, there are no antiviral agents. <i>Carica papaya</i> leaf extract is known for its medicinal value, due to the presence of organic compounds that possess antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant activities. This study determined the anti-dengue effect of <i>C. papaya</i> leaf extract silver synthesized nanoparticles. In this study, aqueous and non-aqueous extractions were carried out, followed by the synthesis of silver nanoparticles as well as characterization through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy. The in vitro anti-dengue effect was evaluated using a focus reduction neutralization test on kidney Vero E2 cell lines. In silico studies involved molecular docking to determine the potential interactions between the bioactive compounds in <i>C. papaya</i> leaf extract and the viral NS5 protein. <i>C. papaya</i> leaf methanol extract silver synthesized nanoparticle was the most promising with an IC<sub>50</sub> of 9.20 µg/mL. Molecular docking showed 5,7 dimethoxycoumarin as the best ligand, with binding energy of −7.75 kcal/mol, indicating high affinity for the NS5 protein. These results highlight that <i>C. papaya</i> leaf methanol extract silver synthesized nanoparticles could be used to inhibit dengue virus type 2 viral replication. However, we recommend further studies to determine their toxicity and the safety profiles.
ISSN:1424-8247