Abstract
The emergence of viral isolates resistant to viral drugs confirmed the need to constantly discover new and effective antiviral drugs. Medicinal plants represent a safe and renewable source for antiviral drug development which used instead of the chemically synthesized drugs that characterised by many other side effects,.The present study aimed to investigate the antiviral role of Illicium verum and Zingiber officinale ethanolic extracts against A and B influenza virus. The tested plant extracts revealed minimal cytotoxic effect using MTT assay. The obtained results exhibited antiviral effect of both tested plant extracts. This effect was investigated by quantification of viral mRNA and inhibition of neuraminidase ( NA) and haemagglutinin (HA) at molecular and biochemical levels. The antiviral effect of Illicium verum was higher than Zingiber officinale. The response of viral infected cells to plant extract treatments was detected through down regulation of inflammatory CXCL1 and Jun genes in comparison with positive control and clarithromycin antiviral drug. These results demonstrated that, the tested plants can be utilized as a safe new source for developing anti-influenza treatment with further detailed studies.