Notes:
Volume10, Issue 12 (Suppl)
J Proteomics Bioinform, an open access journal
ISSN: 0974-276X
Page 33
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World Biomarkers & Pharma Biotech 2017
December 07-09, 2017
December 07-09, 2017 | Madrid, Spain
&
20
th
International Conference on
PHARMACEUTICAL BIOTECHNOLOGY
9
th
WORLD BIOMARKERS CONGRESS
JOINT EVENT ON
Crocin, a carotenoid pigment of saffron inhibits the replication of HSV and HIV
in vitro
Sepehr Soleymani
1,2
, Rezvan Zabihollahi
1
, Sepideh Shahbazi
1
and
Azam Bolhassani
1
1
Pasteur Institute of Iran, Iran
2
High Institute for Research and Education in Transfusion Medicine, Iran
H
uman immunodeficiency
virus type 1 (HIV-1) belonging to the retrovirus family is the major agent of acquired
immunodeficiency syndrome as a public health problem in the world. There are more than 253 types of approved anti-
HIV drugs, but further development of novel anti-HIV agents would be needed especially in low-income countries without
anti-retroviral treatment. Some limitations of the recent viral therapies include high risk of resistant viruses, and adverse side
effects in long-term therapy. Therefore, it is necessary for improvement of novel potent and safe anti-HIV drugs with decreased
side effects especially tolerability and toxicity. Furthermore, other problem in treatment of HIV-infected patients is their
susceptibility to
Herpes simplex virus
(HSV) infection; thus, both anti-HSV and anti-HIV drugs with novel modes of action
are required. Recently, saffron components have been proposed to treat various pathological conditions. In this study, crocin,
a major carotenoid of saffron, was extracted from the ethanolic saffron extract by adsorption chromatography using neutral
aluminum oxide 90 active. Then, the anti-HSV-1 and anti-HIV-1 activities of crocin were assessed as well as its cytotoxicity in
vitro. The data indicated that crocin was active against HIV-1 and HSV-1 virions at certain doses. Crocin inhibited the HSV
replication at before and after entry of virions into Vero cells. Indeed, crocin carotenoid suppressed HSV penetration in the
target cells as well as disturbed virus replication after entry to the cells. This sugar-containing compound extracted from saffron
showed to be an effective anti-herpetic drug candidate. In general, crocin would be a promising anti-HSV and anti-HIV agent
for herbal therapy against viral infections.
Recent Publications:
1. Bolhassani A, Khavari A and Bathaie S Z (2014) Saffron and natural carotenoids: Biochemical activities and anti-
tumor effects. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta. 1845: 20-30.
2. Bolhasani A, Bathaie S Z, Yavari I, Moosavi-Movahedi A A and Ghaffari M (2005) Separation and purification of some
components of Iranian saffron. Asian Journal of Chemistry. 17: 725-729.
3. Zabihollahi R, Namazi R, Aghasadeghi M R, et al (2012). The in vitro anti-viral potential of Setarud (IMOD™), a
commercial herbal medicine with protective activity against acquired immune deficiency syndrome in clinical trials.
Indian Journal of Pharmacology. 44: 448-453.
4. D’Alessandro A M, Mancini A, Lizzi A R, et al. (2013) Crocus sativus stigma extract and its major constituent crocin
possess significant anti-proliferative properties against human prostate cancer. Nutrition and Cancer. 65: 930-942.
Biography
Sepehr Soleymani has graduated from Tehran University of Medical Science in Clinical Laboratory Science. Currently, he is a Master student of Medical
Biotechnology in Blood Transfusion Organization and also as a Research Assistant in Pasteur Institute of Iran for 3 years. His activity focuses on natural and
synthetic antiviral agents, drug delivery system and vaccine research.
dss.soleymani@gmail.comSepehr Soleymani et al., J Proteomics Bioinform 2017, 10:12(Suppl)
DOI: 10.4172/0974-276X-C1-109