Investigating bioactive compounds from medicinal plants for targeting nonstructural proteins of the chikungunya virus Taruna1, Ahlawat Anju2,* 1Ph.D Scholar (Department of Botany), Baba Mast Nath University, Rohtak (124001) 2Assistant Professor (Department of Botany), Hindu Girls College, Sonipat (131001) *Corresponding Author's Email - ahlawatanju19@gmail.com
Online published on 3 May, 2025. Abstract Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a major public health problem because it is widely transmitted by Aedes mosquitos and can cause devastating symptoms such as fever, joint pain, and rash. Currently, no particular antiviral medications or vaccines are available for the treatment or prevention of CHIKV infection, highlighting the critical need for alternative therapeutic methods. Medicinal herbs have long been known as rich sources of bioactive chemicals with a wide range of pharmacological activities, including antiviral activity. This study will look into bioactive chemicals derived from medicinal plants and their ability to target nonstructural proteins of the Chikungunya virus, including nsP1, nsP2, nsP3, and nsP4 (Mainly nsP2). A comprehensive literature study and bioinformatics analysis were used to identify medicinal plants renowned for their antiviral activities. The bioactive chemicals found in these plants were tested for their capacity to interact with and inhibit the function of CHIKV nonstructural proteins using molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations. Preliminary results showed that some intriguing bioactive chemicals can bind to particular areas of CHIKV nonstructural proteins, potentially affecting the enzymatic activity required for viral replication and propagation. These compounds have high binding affinities and stable interactions with target proteins, indicating that they could be used as lead compounds to create novel antiviral medicines against CHIKV. This study provided insights into the use of bioactive chemicals from medicinal plants as prospective candidates for targeting CHIKV nonstructural proteins, paving the way for the development of efficient antiviral medicines to battle Chikungunya virus infection. Top Keywords Bio active chemical, Medicinal plants, Proteins, Virus. Top |