COMPARATIVE ANTI-INFLUENZA POTENTIAL OF MORINGA OLEIFERA LEAVES AND AMANTADINE INVITRO

Introduction: Influenza is an extremely communicable respirational disease with widespread morbidity and mortality. Amantadine is a standard drug used against influenza virus and blocks its replication by preventing uncoating of the virus. Moringa oleifera is an herbal plant with extensive therapeutic effects and has established antiviral potential against Equine herpes virus 1 and Herpes simplex virus1. Objective: Comparison of cytotoxic and anti-influenza potential of Moringa oleifera leaves and amantadine. Methods: This project was done in the department of Pharmacology Shaikh Zayed Postgraduate Medical Institute in collaboration with University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS), Lahore. Influenza virus (H9) was obtained from Quality Operational Lab (UVAS) followed by its identification by using standardized method of haemagglutination inhibition assay and quantification by haemagglutination assay and tissue culture infective dose (TCID50). Ethanolic extract of Moringa oleifera leaves (EEOMOL) was produced using soxhlet apparatus. Fibroblast cell line established from chicken embryo was used for testing of cytotoxic and anti-influenza potential of EEOMOL and amantadine using MTT assay. Results: EEOMOL has higher CC50 (100ug/ml) value compared to that of amantadine (50ug/ml). Regarding antiviral activity, EEOMOL showed significantly better (P< 0.05) anti influenza activity (0.78µg/ml to 100ug/ml) as compared to that of amantadine (12.5ug/ml to 50ug/ml). Conclusion: These findings conclude that Moringa oleifera leaves possess wider range of anti- influenza activity compared to amantadine.