RESUMO
An antiviral drug for treatment of dengue is an urgent necessity. In this study in silico activities of essential oils components on dengue virus (DENV) were evaluated, and beta-Caryophyllene was subjected to biological examination to assess inhibition of DENV-2 replication. Components previously optimized were coupled with viral proteins prepared, using AutoDock Vina. Theoretical affinity values varied between -4.0 and -7.3 kcal/mol. alpha-copaene, beta-bourbonene, germacrene D, spathulenol, beta-caryophyllene, caryophyllene oxide and (+)- epi-bicyclosesquiphellandrene showed the greatest interaction with viral proteins. beta-caryophyllene inhibits DENV-2 in vitro (50 percent inhibitory concentration [IC50] = 22.5 +/- 5.6 uM [4.6 +/- 1.1 ug/mL] and resulted non-cytostatic with a selectivity index value of 71.1. The in silico results permit infer that DENV proteins are potential targets for the concomitant docking of various essential oils components. Biological examination suggest that beta-caryophyllene acts on very early steps of the viral replication cycle and it might prove virucidal.
Una droga antiviral para tratamiento del dengue es una necesidad urgente. En este estudio se evaluó la actividad in silico de componentes de aceites esenciales sobre el virus del dengue (VDEN) y el beta-cariofileno se seleccionó para evaluar la inhibición sobre la replicación in vitro del VDEN-2. Los componentes previamente optimizados fueron acoplados con proteínas virales preparadas, utilizando AutoDock Vina. Los valores de afinidad variaron entre -4.0 and -7.3 kcal/mol. alfa-Copaeno, beta-bourboneno, germacreno D, spatulenol, beta- cariofileno, óxido de cariofileno y (+)-epi-biciclosesquifellandreno presentaron la mayor interacción con las proteínas virales. beta-Cariofileno inhibió VDEN-2 in vitro (Concentración inhibitoria 50 [IC50] = 22.5 +/- 5.6 uM [4.6 +/- 1.1 ug/mL] y resultó no-citostático con índice de selectividad de 71.1. Los resultados in silico indican que proteínas del VDEN son blancos potenciales para varios componentes. El análisis biológico sugiere que el beta-cariofileno actúa en etapas tempranas de la replicación viral y podría ser virucida.