Miconia albicans (Melastomataceae) to treat Chikungunya viral infection: An effectual symptom-driven ethnomedicinal repurposing of an anti-inflammatory species?

• DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.116875
• Publication Date: 2023-07-12T06:09:36Z
• Authors: Sarah Neves do Na...; José Luiz Mazzei; João Batista de F...; Marcos Jun Nakamura; Ligia Maria Marin...; Raquel Curtinhas ...; Priscila Conrado ...; Elzinandes Leal d...; Luis Angel Berrueta; Blanca Gallo; Antonio Carlos Siani
• Keywords: Flavonoids; 0301 basic medicine; Plant Extracts; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Polyphenols; Triterpenes; 3. Good health; 03 medical and health sciences; Tandem Mass Spectrometry; Chlorocebus aethiops; Melastomataceae; Animals; Chikungunya Fever; Quercetin; Chikungunya virus; Vero Cells

Miconia albicans (MA) is consumed all over the Brazilian territory as a remedy to treat rheumatoid arthritis and has been increasingly used to alleviate the deleterious symptoms caused by Chikungunya virus (CHIKV).To investigate the effect of MA leaf and stem hydroethanolic extracts (LE and SE, respectively), their fractions enriched in triterpene acids or polyphenols as well isolated constituents, on CHIKV hosted in Vero cells.Polyphenol profiles of LE and SE were dereplicated by HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS, aided by standards. Polyphenol-rich (LEx and SEx) and triterpenic acid-rich (LOH and SOH) fractions were obtained in Amberlite XAD-4 and alkalinized 95% ethanol (EtOH) extraction, respectively. TPC and TFC were assessed by colorimetric methods. Three representative flavonoids and two triterpenic acids were quantified by HPLC. CHIKV load suppression was evaluated in Vero cells by real-time qRT‒PCR at noncytotoxic concentrations.Fifteen flavonoids were characterized in LE and SE. LEx presented isoquercitrin, quercitrin, rutin (0.49-1.51%) and quercetin. The TPC was 48 and 62 mg QE/g extract, and the TFC was 11.93 and 0.76 mg QE/g extract for LEx and SEx, respectively. LOH presented ursolic (15.3%) and oleanolic (8.0%) acids. A reduction (91-97%) in the CHIKV load was produced by the triterpene fraction, quercitrin and quercetin; the latter maintained the activity down to one twentieth of the tolerated concentration.M. albicans contains flavonoids and triterpenic acids that are effective against CHIKV, which might justify its use to alleviate sequelae of CHIKV infection. However, further investigations on the species and its active constituents are needed.