Inhibition of the DNA polymerase and RNase H activities of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase and HIV-1 replication by Brasenia schreberi (Junsai) and Petasites japonicus (Fuki) components

J Nat Med. 2015 Jul;69(3):432-40. doi: 10.1007/s11418-015-0885-9. Epub 2015 Feb 8.

Abstract

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) reverse transcriptase (RT) possesses two distinct enzymatic activities: those of RNA- and DNA-dependent DNA polymerases and RNase H. In the current HIV-1 therapy, all HIV-1 RT inhibitors inhibit the activity of DNA polymerase, but not that of RNase H. We previously reported that ethanol and water extracts of Brasenia schreberi (Junsai) inhibited the DNA polymerase activity of HIV-1 RT [Hisayoshi et al. (2014) J Biol Macromol 14:59-65]. In this study, we screened 43 edible plants and found that ethanol and water extracts of Brasenia schreberi and water extract of Petasites japonicus strongly inhibit not only the activity of DNA polymerase to incorporate dTTP into poly(rA)-p(dT)15 but also the activity of RNase H to hydrolyze the RNA strand of an RNA/DNA hybrid. In addition, these three extracts inhibit HIV-1 replication in human cells, with EC50 values of 1-2 µg/ml. These results suggest that Brasenia schreberi and Petasites japonicus contain substances that block HIV-1 replication by inhibiting the DNA polymerase activity and/or RNase H activity of HIV-1 RT.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anti-HIV Agents / chemistry*
  • Anti-HIV Agents / pharmacology
  • DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase / chemistry
  • Drug Evaluation, Preclinical
  • HIV Reverse Transcriptase / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • HIV Reverse Transcriptase / chemistry
  • HIV-1 / drug effects
  • HIV-1 / enzymology
  • HIV-1 / physiology*
  • HeLa Cells
  • Humans
  • Petasites / chemistry*
  • Plant Extracts / chemistry*
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology
  • Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors / chemistry*
  • Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Ribonuclease H / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Virus Replication / drug effects

Substances

  • Anti-HIV Agents
  • Plant Extracts
  • Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors
  • reverse transcriptase, Human immunodeficiency virus 1
  • HIV Reverse Transcriptase
  • DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase
  • Ribonuclease H