BioMed Research International 2015-01-01

Antiherpes Activity and Skin/Mucosa Distribution of Flavonoids from Achyrocline satureioides Extract Incorporated into Topical Nanoemulsions.

Juliana Bidone, Débora Fretes Argenta, Jadel Kratz, Letícia Ferreira Pettenuzzo, Ana Paula Horn, Letícia Scherer Koester, Valquíria Linck Bassani, Claudia Maria Oliveira Simões, Helder Ferreira Teixeira

Index: Biomed Res. Int. 2015 , 238010, (2015)

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Abstract

This study investigated the inhibitory effects of Achyrocline satureioides extract (ASE) incorporated into a topical nanoemulsion on Herpes Simplex Virus type 1 (HSV-1/KOS strain) replication, as well as the distribution of the main ASE flavonoids (quercetin, luteolin, and 3-O-methylquercetin) in porcine skin and mucosa. The ASE-loaded nanoemulsion showed more pronounced effects against HSV-1 replication when compared to the ASE or pure quercetin, as determined by the viral plaque number reduction assay. All flavonoids were detected in the skin epidermis (2.2 µg/cm(2)) and the mucosa upper layers (3.0 µg/cm(2)) from ASE-loaded nanoemulsion until 8 h after topical application. A higher amount of flavonoids was detected when these tissues were impaired, especially in deeper mucosa layers (up to 7-fold). Flavonoids were detected in the receptor fluid only when the mucosa was injured. Such results were supported by confocal microscopy images. Overall, these findings suggest that the tested ASE-loaded nanoemulsion has potential to be used topically for herpes infections.