Evaluation of antiviral activity of honeybee venom on DNA and RNA virus models

The virucidal activity (direct action) of bee venom on Herpes simplex virus type-1(HSV-1) and Adenovirus type -7(adeno-7) as a DNA virus models studies revealed that there was no significant decrease in HSV-1 infectivity titer after 3, 6 and 24 hours of treatments (P>0.05) while 48 hours later a significant viral depletion rate was recoded in the order of 1 log (10)/0.1 ml was detected. Also, the virucidal activity on Adeno-7 virus model showed no change after insignificance 3 hrs of bee venom treatment. There was a significant depletion rate of virus infectivity titer 6 and 24 hrs post treatment recording 3.7 log (10)/0.1 ml and 2.75 log (10)/0.1 ml respectively. Also, the evaluation of virucidal activity of bee venom against RNA model virus of West Nile virus (WNV) revealed that there was a significant decreased in WNV infectivity titer post thermal treatment incubation at 37^oC for 3, 6, and 24 and 48 hours post treatment with venom recording 5.1 log (10)/0.1 ml, 4.5 log (10)/0.1 ml, 2.1 log (10)/0.1 ml and 0.55 log (10)/0.1 ml respectively. The antiviral activity of bee venom of HSV-1 as a DNA model virus showed that there was a non significant decrease in the infectivity titer post thermal treatment. In the mean time, the antiviral activity of bee venom against Adeno virus sero-type -7 revealed that there was a non significant decrease in Adeno–7 titer 3, 6 and 24 hours post incubation at 37^oC. Also, evaluation of the antiviral activity of bee venom against RNA model virus West Nile Virus revealed that there was a non significant decrease in West Nile Virus titer after incubation period of 3, 6 and 24 hours post treatment at 37^oC.
            Antiviral activity of bee venom was also compared with that of the standard antiviral drug; interferon  -2 a (IFN -  2a). HSV-1 was insignificantly decreased recording 5.5 log (10)/0.1 ml in the bee venom treated cells compared to significant decrease when treated with (IFN -  2a) recording 3.2 log (10)/0.1 ml. In the mean time antiviral activity against adenovirus-7 recorded a  significant decrease in virus infectivity titer recording 3.4 log (10)/0.1 ml post bee venom compared with 3.25 log (10)/0.1 ml post IFN treatment which mean that the in vitro studies of the effect of standard IFN used was the same as bee venom on the Adeno-7 virus. The RNA model virus ;WNV was well influenced by bee venom than IFN where the virus infectivity titer recorded 1 log (10) /0.1 ml post bee venom  treatment compared with 2.5 log (10)/0.1 ml virus infectivity titer post IFN treatment.