ANTIVIRAL ACTIVITY OF EXTRACT AND PURIFIED COMPOUND FROM RED MACROALGAE ASPARAGOPSIS TAXIFORMIS AGAINST H5N1 VIRUS

Aim and objective: The discovery and development of new natural antiviral compounds which exhibit various antiviral activities are required. The aim of this investigation is to assess the potential use of the red seaweed Asparagopsis taxiformis as a new source of anti H5N1 agent. Methods: The seaweed was collected from Marsa Matrouh, Mediterranean Sea, Egypt during spring season, the effects of successive extracts and the pure compounds from the investigated alga on H5N1 virus were performed using plaque reduction assay. In addition, the mechanism of action of promising extract on the virus adsorption and replication was determined. Chromatographic and spectroscopic analyses were used for the identification of chemical structure of active compound(s) isolated from the studied seaweed. Results: The obtained results showed that petroleum ether and water algal extracts exhibited high antiviral activity (>99.9%) and the mode of action of extracts was not correlated with virus replication but with its adsorption process.The isolated pure compound was identified as 6-methyl-Δ22-stigmasterol-2, 3 di acetate and its antiviral activity (for H5N1)was tested. Pure compound showed antiviral activity reached 56% at 100 µg/ml. Conclusion: The obtained results suggests that crude extracts and isolated active compound from A. taxiformis has the capacity to protect people against pandemic H5N1preventing virus adsorption to the human host cells. Recommendation for testing the extracts and pure compounds from the studied seaweed as potential inhibitor of COVID-19.                     Peer Review History: Received 16 March 2021; Revised 29 March; Accepted 21 April, Available online 15 May 2021 UJPR follows the most transparent and toughest ‘Advanced OPEN peer review’ system. The identity of the authors and, reviewers will be known to each other. This transparent process will help to eradicate any possible malicious/purposeful interference by any person (publishing staff, reviewer, editor, author, etc) during peer review. As a result of this unique system, all reviewers will get their due recognition and respect, once their names are published in the papers. We expect that, by publishing peer review reports with published papers, will be helpful to many authors for drafting their article according to the specifications. Auhors will remove any error of their article and they will improve their article(s) according to the previous reports displayed with published article(s). The main purpose of it is ‘to improve the quality of a candidate manuscript’. Our reviewers check the ‘strength and weakness of a manuscript honestly’. There will increase in the perfection, and transparency.  Received file:      Reviewer's Comments: Average Peer review marks at initial stage: 6.5/10 Average Peer review marks at publication stage: 8.0/10 Reviewer(s) detail: Prof. Dr. Hassan A.H. Al-Shamahy,  Sana'a University, Yemen, shmahe@yemen.net.ye Dr. Wadhah Hassan Ali Edrees, Hajja University, Yemen, edress2020@gmail.com Similar Articles: ANTIDIABETIC AND ANTIHYPERLIPIDEMIC ACTIVITY OF DRACAENA CINNABARI BALF. RESIN ETHANOLIC EXTRACT OF SOQATRA ISLAND IN EXPERIMENTAL ANIMALS ANTIHYPERGLYCEMIC AND ANTI-OXIDANT POTENTIAL OF ETHANOL EXTRACT OF VITEX THYRSIFLORA LEAVES ON DIABETIC RATS