Evaluation of the antiviral effects of aqueous extracts of red and yellow onions (Allium Cepa) against avian influenza virus subtype H9N2

Document Type : Research Articles

Authors

1 University of Tabriz

2 University of Tehran

Abstract

Avian influenza virus subtype H9N2 causes important economic losses in industrial poultry worldwide. Biosecurity and vaccination have not completely prevented the outbreak of avian influenza virus subtype H9N2 in poultry, and there are no appropriate medicines available. Onion is one of the plants used from the ancient times both as food and medicine. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the antiviral effects of aqueous extract of red and yellow onion against avian influenza virus subtype H9N2. First, a study was performed to evaluate the toxic effects of the extracts on the embryonated chicken eggs. For antiviral evaluation, three mixtures were prepared: mixture of the virus and the red onion extract, mixture of the virus and the yellow onion extract, and mixture of the virus and PBS, as a control group. The mixtures were separately inoculated to the chorioallantoic sac of the embryonated eggs after 2, 8 and 24 hours incubation at room temperature. Mortality rate and hemagglutination assay titers were recorded. The results indicated that the red onion extract decreases mortality of the embryos and the yellow onion extract increases the life of the embryos, and both of the extracts decrease HA titers. In conclusion, it seems that both extracts especially aqueous extract of the red onion not only destroys the avian influenza virus subtype H9N2, but also they probably decrease the propagation of the virus in the embryonated chicken eggs.

Keywords

Main Subjects


1- Vahabpour-Roudsari R, Shamsi-Shahrabadi M, Monavari SH,
Sajjadi SE. Evaluation of potential antiviral activity of hydroalcoholic
extract of Lemon Balm L. against Herpes Simplex
Virus type-I. Iran. J. Virol. 2007;1:28-32.
2- Harper SA, Fukuda K, Uyeki TM, Cox NJ, Bridges CB. Prevention
and control of influenza.
3- Vasfi Marandi M, Bozorgmehri Fard MH. Isolation of H9N2
subtype of avian influenza viruses during an outbreak in
chickens in Iran. Iran. Biomed. J. 2002 Jan 15; 6(1):13-7.
4- Swayne DE, Suarez DL, Sims LD. Influenza. Diseases of poultry.
2013 Oct 4:181-218.
5- Bouvier NM, Palese P. The biology of influenza viruses. Vaccine.
2008 Sep 12;26:D49-53..
6- Suleria HA, Butt MS, Anjum FM, Saeed F, Khalid N. Onion: nature
protection against physiological threats. Crit. Rev. Food.
Sci. 2015 Jan 2;55(1):50-66.
7- Mohamed EF. Antiviral properties of garlic cloves juice compared
with onion bulbs juice against potato virus Y (PVY). J.
Am. Sci. 2010;6(8):302-10.
8- Lanzotti V. The analysis of onion and garlic. J. Chromatogr. A.
A. 2006 Apr 21;1112(1-2):3-22.
9- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). “Avian influenza
(bird flu).” (2007).
10- Lamb RA, Choppin PW. The gene structure and replication
of influenza virus. Annu. Rev. Biochem. 1983 Jul;52(1):467-
506.
11- Wilson JC, Itzstein M. Recent strategies in the search for
new anti-influenza therapies. Curr. Drug. Targets. 2003 Jul
1;4(5):389-408.
12- Killian ML. Hemagglutination assay for the avian influenza
virus. Avian Influenza Virus. 2008:47-52.
13- Liguori L, Califano R, Albanese D, Raimo F, Crescitelli A, Di
Matteo M. Chemical composition and antioxidant properties
of five white onion (Allium cepa L.) landraces. J. Food. Quality.
2017 Jan ;2017.
14- Bayan L, Koulivand PH, Gorji A. Garlic: a review of potential
therapeutic effects. Avicenna. J. Phytomed. 2014 Jan;4(1):1.
15- Spackman, E., and D. Suarez. Avian influenza virus. Humana
Press, Totowa, NJ. 2008. Crossref, Google Scholar
16- Barjesteh N, Brisbin JT, Behboudi S, Nagy E, Sharif S. Induction
of antiviral responses against avian influenza virus in
embryonated chicken eggs with Toll-like receptor ligands.
Viral. Immunol. 2015 May 1;28(4):192-200.
17- Brauer R, Chen P. Influenza virus propagation in embryonated
chicken eggs. J. Vis. Exp: JoVE. 2015(97(
18- Ding Y, Zeng L, Li R, Chen Q, Zhou B, Chen Q, leng Cheng
P, Yutao W, Zheng J, Yang Z, Zhang F. The Chinese prescription
lianhuaqingwen capsule exerts anti-influenza activity
through the inhibition of viral propagation and impacts
immune function. BMC Complem. Altern. M. 2017
Dec;17(1):130.
CAPTCHA Image