Abstract
APAP (N-acetyl-p-aminophenol) overdose induced cellular damage has been linked to oxidative assault by free radicals. Otherwise, constant emergence of resistant virus strains worldwide calls for an urgent need to develop therapeutic agents to improve the treatment of virus infection especially vs Herpes Simplex Virus-type 1 (HSV-1) which is a widespread/ repeated virus with no medical cure. Acrocarpus is a genus in family Fabaceae which is considered as a large economical & medicinal family. Here, we investigated the antioxidant activity of aqueous methanol extract of A. fraxinifolius leaves (AMEAFL) in vitro & in vivo vs APAP-induced organ toxicity & their antiviral/virucidal activity vs HSV 1 in vitro. In vivo, AMEAFL reduced serum cellular toxicity & cellular lipid peroxidation. It enhanced cellular antioxidants in a dose-dependent manner. In vitro, its total phenolic reached 392.4 mg/100 g with 85.3% of its antioxidant activity. It gave strong radical scavenging abilities (DPPH, 90.72%;
*
NO: 68.16% & O
2
*−
, 79.84%). It was non-toxic to VERO cells & the inhibitory activity to HSV1 was dose dependent. Their MIC, EC
50
& SI were 72.6, 51.9, & 2.09 µg/ml. Direct contact between the AMEAFL & virus resulted in varying levels of virucidal action relying on its polyphenolic content. AFL has a dual effect. It has a prophylactic effect on APAP toxicity by increasing the endogenous antioxidant, as well as anti-HSV-1 activity by limiting virus attachment & viral multiplication at the early stages.