The anti-coronaviral activity of singular and mixed formulation of dill essential oil (Anethum graveolens L.) and tannic acid (Quercus infectoria)

Abstract

Due to the limitations in antiviral treatments for viral infections, the search for natural compounds with biocompatible and antiviral activities has gained importance. In this study, we investigated the antiviral efficacy of a unique formulation (DEO/TA-mix, Uluvir (R)) at the stages of viral replication, adsorption, penetration, repeated doses, and direct inactivation of the selected model virus, Bovine coronavirus (BCoV). In the presence of DEO (from Anethum graveolens L.)/ TA (Quercus infectoria extract) mix, 99.94% inhibition was observed in the mean viral titer values of BCoV at the 48th h of replication, while the inhibition activity stopped at the 96th h. With the addition of DEO/TA-mix every 48 h after virus inoculation, viral replication was inhibited by 98.79% at the 120th h. Treatment of BCoV with DEO/TA-mix showed 99.58% inhibition at the adsorption stage and 43.77% inhibition at the penetration stage in the viral titer. In the direct inactivation efficacy of DEO/TA-mix on BCoV, the mean viral titers decreased by 0.5 to 3.0 log in a time-dependent manner. The antiviral activity of DEO/TA-mix is predicted to be more effective in the early stages of BCoV replication. In addition, an additional dose of DEO/TA-mix every 48 h during the viral replication phase increases and prolongs the inhibition rates on viral titers. This study has demonstrated that DEO/TA-mix shares high antiviral activity and may be evaluated as a potential drug for virus infections.