The Antiviral Effects of Areca catechu L. Extract

Trafficking of viral glycoproteins to the cell surface results in syncytium formation in baby hamster kidney (BHK) cells infected with Newcastle disease virus (NDV). An extract from the medicinal Areca catechu L plant inhibited not only syncytium formation, but also trafficking of the hemagglutinin-neuramidase (HN) glycoprotein to the cell-surface. The viral glycoprotein was processed within the endoplasmic reticulum during transit to the cell membrane. Fungal extracts showed inhibitory activities (IC 50 10 µg/mL) against α-glucosidase. These results suggested that A. catechu L. extracts inhibited the cell-surface expression of NDV-HN glycoprotein without significantly affecting HN glycoprotein synthesis in NDV-infected BHK cells.