Prospective Antiviral Effect of <i>Ulva lactuca</i> Aqueous Extract against COVID-19 Infection

Reem Binsuwaidan; Thanaa A. El-Masry; Mostafa El-Sheekh; Mohamed G. Seadawy; Mofida E. M. Makhlof; Shaimaa M. Aboukhatwa; Nagla A. El-Shitany; Kadreya E. Elmorshedy; Maysa M. F. El-Nagar; Maisra M. El-Bouseary

doi:10.3390/md22010030

Marine Drugs (Dec 2023)

Prospective Antiviral Effect of <i>Ulva lactuca</i> Aqueous Extract against COVID-19 Infection

Reem Binsuwaidan,
Thanaa A. El-Masry,
Mostafa El-Sheekh,
Mohamed G. Seadawy,
Mofida E. M. Makhlof,
Shaimaa M. Aboukhatwa,
Nagla A. El-Shitany,
Kadreya E. Elmorshedy,
Maysa M. F. El-Nagar,
Maisra M. El-Bouseary

Affiliations

Reem Binsuwaidan: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, P.O. Box 84428, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia
Thanaa A. El-Masry: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tanta University, Tanta 31527, Egypt
Mostafa El-Sheekh: Botany Department, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta 31527, Egypt
Mohamed G. Seadawy: Biological Prevention Department, Egypt Army, Cairo 31527, Egypt
Mofida E. M. Makhlof: Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Damanhour University, Damanhour 22511, Egypt
Shaimaa M. Aboukhatwa: Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tanta University, Tanta 31527, Egypt
Nagla A. El-Shitany: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tanta University, Tanta 31527, Egypt
Kadreya E. Elmorshedy: Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta 31527, Egypt
Maysa M. F. El-Nagar: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tanta University, Tanta 31527, Egypt
Maisra M. El-Bouseary: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tanta University, Tanta 31527, Egypt

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/md22010030
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 22, no. 1
p. 30

Abstract

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Marine algal extracts exhibit a potent inhibitory effect against several enveloped and non-enveloped viruses. The infection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has several adverse effects, including an increased mortality rate. The anti-COVID-19 agents are still limited; this issue requires exploring novel, effective anti-SARS-CoV-2 therapeutic approaches. This study investigated the antiviral activity of an aqueous extract of Ulva lactuca, which was collected from the Gulf of Suez, Egypt. The aqueous extract of Ulva lactuca was characterized by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) analyses. According to the HPLC analysis, the extract comprises several sugars, mostly rhamnose (32.88%). The FTIR spectra showed numerous bands related to the functional groups. EDX analysis confirmed the presence of different elements, such as oxygen (O), carbon (C), sulfur (S), magnesium (Mg), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), and sodium (Na), with different concentrations. The aqueous extract of U. lactuca (0.0312 mg/mL) exhibited potent anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity via virucidal activity, inhibition of viral replication, and interference with viral adsorption (% inhibitions of 64%, 33.3%, and 31.1%, respectively). Consequently, ulvan could be a promising compound for preclinical study in the drug development process to combat SARS-CoV-2.

Published in Marine Drugs

ISSN: 1660-3397 (Online)
Publisher: MDPI AG
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Science: Biology (General)
Website: http://www.mdpi.com/journal/marinedrugs

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