Affiliation: | 1. Guangxi Key Laboratory of Green Processing of Sugar Resources, College of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Guangxi University of Science and Technology, Liuzhou, China;2. Guangxi Key Laboratory of Marine Natural Products and Combinatorial Biosynthesis Chemistry, Guangxi Beibu Gulf Marine Research Center, Guangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanning, China Guangxi Key Laboratory for Polysaccharide Materials and Modifications, Guangxi Colleges and Universities Key Laboratory of Utilization of Microbial and Botanical Resources, School of Marine Science and Biotechnology, Guangxi University for Nationalities, Nanning, China;3. Guangxi Key Laboratory of Marine Natural Products and Combinatorial Biosynthesis Chemistry, Guangxi Beibu Gulf Marine Research Center, Guangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanning, China;4. Department of Aquaculture, Syiah Kuala University, Banda Aceh, Indonesia;5. Guangxi Key Laboratory for Polysaccharide Materials and Modifications, Guangxi Colleges and Universities Key Laboratory of Utilization of Microbial and Botanical Resources, School of Marine Science and Biotechnology, Guangxi University for Nationalities, Nanning, China |
Abstract: | Grouper iridovirus causes high mortality rates in cultured groupers, and effective treatment for grouper iridovirus infection is urgently required. Illicium verum Hook. f. is a well-known medicinal plant with a variety of biological activities. The aim of this study was to analyse the use of I. verum extracts to treat grouper iridovirus infection. The safe working concentration of each I. verum extract was identified both in vitro and in vivo as follows: I. verum aqueous extract (IVAE) ≤ 500 μg/ml; I. verum ethanol extract (IVEE) ≤ 250 μg/ml; shikimic acid (SKA) ≤ 250 μg/ml; trans-anethole (TAT) ≤ 800 μg/ml; 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid (DDBA) ≤ 400 μg/ml; and quercetin (QCE) ≤ 50 μg/ml. The inhibitory activity of each I. verum extract against grouper iridovirus infection was analysed using aptamer (Q2)-based fluorescent molecular probe (Q2-AFMP) and RT-qPCR. All of the I. verum extracts displayed dose-dependent antiviral activities against grouper iridovirus. Based on the achieved per cent inhibition, IVAE, IVEE, DDBA and QCE were associated with the greatest antiviral activity (all > 90%). Together, our results indicate that I. verum extracts have effective antiviral properties, making it an excellent potential source material for the development of effective treatment for grouper iridovirus infection. |