Antiviral potential of Melissa officinalis extracts against influenza and emerging coronaviruses
Abstract Melissa officinalis is a perennial medicinal plant traditionally used for its diverse biological activities, including antiviral properties. This study investigates the antiviral efficacy of various extracts, including water, acetone, alkaloid, non-alkaloid, ethanol, and methanol extracts,...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2025-04-01
|
| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-96417-5 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849329503766052864 |
|---|---|
| author | Tasneem Alsahafi Thamer Bouback Abdulaziz Albeshri Sara Alnhhas Mohamed Ali Yassmin Moatasim Omnia Kutkat Mohamed Gaballah Fahad Alfasi Ehab H. Mater Faisal Al-Sarraj Raied Badierah Ibrahim A. Alotibi Yaaser Q. Almulaiky |
| author_facet | Tasneem Alsahafi Thamer Bouback Abdulaziz Albeshri Sara Alnhhas Mohamed Ali Yassmin Moatasim Omnia Kutkat Mohamed Gaballah Fahad Alfasi Ehab H. Mater Faisal Al-Sarraj Raied Badierah Ibrahim A. Alotibi Yaaser Q. Almulaiky |
| author_sort | Tasneem Alsahafi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Melissa officinalis is a perennial medicinal plant traditionally used for its diverse biological activities, including antiviral properties. This study investigates the antiviral efficacy of various extracts, including water, acetone, alkaloid, non-alkaloid, ethanol, and methanol extracts, against influenza A (H1N1), SARS-CoV-2, and MERS-CoV. The water extract demonstrated significant inhibitory effects on SARS-CoV-2 (IC50 = 421.9 µg/mL) and MERS-CoV (IC50 = 222.1 µg/mL) in Vero E6 cells (an African green monkey kidney cell line), with a CC50 of 4221 µg/mL, indicating a favorable selectivity index. Additionally, it exhibited strong activity against H1N1 in Madin-Darby canine kidney cell line (MDCK cells) (IC50 = 57.30 µg/mL, CC50 = 3073 µg/mL). Among all the extracts, the methanol extract showed the highest antiviral activity. It has IC50 = 2.549 µg/ml and selectivity index (SI) = 230 against H1N1.While it showed IC50 = 10.83 µg/ml against SARS-CoV-2 and 9.82 µg/ml against MERS-CoV with SI values of 54.2 and 59.77, respectively. Molecular docking studies revealed that 5-Methyl-5 H-naphtho[2,3-c]carbazole,7 H-Dibenzo[b, g]carbazole, 7-methyl, hesperidin, luteolin-7-glucoside-3′-glucuronide, Melitric acid A, and other compounds exhibited high binding affinities to the receptor-binding domains (RBDs) of SARS-CoV-2 and MERS-CoV spike glycoproteins, suggesting their potential to interfere with viral entry. Furthermore, GC-MS-identified bioactive compounds, including docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), paromomycin, and phenolic acids, demonstrated additional antiviral potential. These results underscore the potential of M. officinalis extracts as natural antiviral agents, offering a foundation for further in vitro and in vivo validation and potential therapeutic applications against respiratory viral infections, including coronaviruses and influenza viruses. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-8d75273a5bf240829fbf4c12b4cfcb28 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-8d75273a5bf240829fbf4c12b4cfcb282025-08-20T03:47:14ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-04-0115111910.1038/s41598-025-96417-5Antiviral potential of Melissa officinalis extracts against influenza and emerging coronavirusesTasneem Alsahafi0Thamer Bouback1Abdulaziz Albeshri2Sara Alnhhas3Mohamed Ali4Yassmin Moatasim5Omnia Kutkat6Mohamed Gaballah7Fahad Alfasi8Ehab H. Mater9Faisal Al-Sarraj10Raied Badierah11Ibrahim A. Alotibi12Yaaser Q. Almulaiky13Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz UniversityDepartment of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz UniversityDepartment of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz UniversityDepartment of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz UniversityCenter of Scientific Excellence for Influenza Viruses, Environmental Research Division, National Research Centre (NRC)Center of Scientific Excellence for Influenza Viruses, Environmental Research Division, National Research Centre (NRC)Center of Scientific Excellence for Influenza Viruses, Environmental Research Division, National Research Centre (NRC)Center of Scientific Excellence for Influenza Viruses, Environmental Research Division, National Research Centre (NRC)Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz UniversityDepartment of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz UniversityDepartment of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz UniversityApplied College, Health Information Technology Department, King Abdulaziz UniversityApplied College, Health Information Technology Department, King Abdulaziz UniversityThe Applied College, University of JeddahAbstract Melissa officinalis is a perennial medicinal plant traditionally used for its diverse biological activities, including antiviral properties. This study investigates the antiviral efficacy of various extracts, including water, acetone, alkaloid, non-alkaloid, ethanol, and methanol extracts, against influenza A (H1N1), SARS-CoV-2, and MERS-CoV. The water extract demonstrated significant inhibitory effects on SARS-CoV-2 (IC50 = 421.9 µg/mL) and MERS-CoV (IC50 = 222.1 µg/mL) in Vero E6 cells (an African green monkey kidney cell line), with a CC50 of 4221 µg/mL, indicating a favorable selectivity index. Additionally, it exhibited strong activity against H1N1 in Madin-Darby canine kidney cell line (MDCK cells) (IC50 = 57.30 µg/mL, CC50 = 3073 µg/mL). Among all the extracts, the methanol extract showed the highest antiviral activity. It has IC50 = 2.549 µg/ml and selectivity index (SI) = 230 against H1N1.While it showed IC50 = 10.83 µg/ml against SARS-CoV-2 and 9.82 µg/ml against MERS-CoV with SI values of 54.2 and 59.77, respectively. Molecular docking studies revealed that 5-Methyl-5 H-naphtho[2,3-c]carbazole,7 H-Dibenzo[b, g]carbazole, 7-methyl, hesperidin, luteolin-7-glucoside-3′-glucuronide, Melitric acid A, and other compounds exhibited high binding affinities to the receptor-binding domains (RBDs) of SARS-CoV-2 and MERS-CoV spike glycoproteins, suggesting their potential to interfere with viral entry. Furthermore, GC-MS-identified bioactive compounds, including docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), paromomycin, and phenolic acids, demonstrated additional antiviral potential. These results underscore the potential of M. officinalis extracts as natural antiviral agents, offering a foundation for further in vitro and in vivo validation and potential therapeutic applications against respiratory viral infections, including coronaviruses and influenza viruses.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-96417-5Melissa officinalisCytotoxicityPhytochemicalHuman coronavirusesAntiviralMERS-CoV |
| spellingShingle | Tasneem Alsahafi Thamer Bouback Abdulaziz Albeshri Sara Alnhhas Mohamed Ali Yassmin Moatasim Omnia Kutkat Mohamed Gaballah Fahad Alfasi Ehab H. Mater Faisal Al-Sarraj Raied Badierah Ibrahim A. Alotibi Yaaser Q. Almulaiky Antiviral potential of Melissa officinalis extracts against influenza and emerging coronaviruses Scientific Reports Melissa officinalis Cytotoxicity Phytochemical Human coronaviruses Antiviral MERS-CoV |
| title | Antiviral potential of Melissa officinalis extracts against influenza and emerging coronaviruses |
| title_full | Antiviral potential of Melissa officinalis extracts against influenza and emerging coronaviruses |
| title_fullStr | Antiviral potential of Melissa officinalis extracts against influenza and emerging coronaviruses |
| title_full_unstemmed | Antiviral potential of Melissa officinalis extracts against influenza and emerging coronaviruses |
| title_short | Antiviral potential of Melissa officinalis extracts against influenza and emerging coronaviruses |
| title_sort | antiviral potential of melissa officinalis extracts against influenza and emerging coronaviruses |
| topic | Melissa officinalis Cytotoxicity Phytochemical Human coronaviruses Antiviral MERS-CoV |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-96417-5 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT tasneemalsahafi antiviralpotentialofmelissaofficinalisextractsagainstinfluenzaandemergingcoronaviruses AT thamerbouback antiviralpotentialofmelissaofficinalisextractsagainstinfluenzaandemergingcoronaviruses AT abdulazizalbeshri antiviralpotentialofmelissaofficinalisextractsagainstinfluenzaandemergingcoronaviruses AT saraalnhhas antiviralpotentialofmelissaofficinalisextractsagainstinfluenzaandemergingcoronaviruses AT mohamedali antiviralpotentialofmelissaofficinalisextractsagainstinfluenzaandemergingcoronaviruses AT yassminmoatasim antiviralpotentialofmelissaofficinalisextractsagainstinfluenzaandemergingcoronaviruses AT omniakutkat antiviralpotentialofmelissaofficinalisextractsagainstinfluenzaandemergingcoronaviruses AT mohamedgaballah antiviralpotentialofmelissaofficinalisextractsagainstinfluenzaandemergingcoronaviruses AT fahadalfasi antiviralpotentialofmelissaofficinalisextractsagainstinfluenzaandemergingcoronaviruses AT ehabhmater antiviralpotentialofmelissaofficinalisextractsagainstinfluenzaandemergingcoronaviruses AT faisalalsarraj antiviralpotentialofmelissaofficinalisextractsagainstinfluenzaandemergingcoronaviruses AT raiedbadierah antiviralpotentialofmelissaofficinalisextractsagainstinfluenzaandemergingcoronaviruses AT ibrahimaalotibi antiviralpotentialofmelissaofficinalisextractsagainstinfluenzaandemergingcoronaviruses AT yaaserqalmulaiky antiviralpotentialofmelissaofficinalisextractsagainstinfluenzaandemergingcoronaviruses |