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Peer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Molecules

Chemical Composition, Antiviral and Antiproliferative Activity of Extracts from Agrimonia eupatoria L.

  • Plamena Staleva1,2
  • Mariana Kamenova-Nacheva1,2
  • Antoaneta Trendafilova1,3
  • Zhanina Petkova1,3
  • Ivan Iliev4
  • Aleksandra Rangelova5,6
  • Neli Vilhelmova-Ilieva5
6 affiliations
  1. 1Institute of Organic Chemistry with Centre of Phytochemistry, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev Str., bl. 9, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
  2. 2Research and Development and Innovation Consortium, Sofia Tech Park, 1784 Sofia, Bulgaria
  3. 3Centre of Competence “Sustainable Utilization of Bio-Resources and Waste of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants for Innovative Bioactive Products” (BIORESOURCES BG), 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria
  4. 4Institute of Experimental Morphology, Pathology and Anthropology with Museum, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev Str., 25, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
  5. 5Stephan Angeloff Institute of Microbiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. G. Bonchev Str., 26, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
  6. 6National Diagnostic and Research Veterinary Medical Institute, bul. “Pencho Slaveikov” 15, 1606 Sofia, Bulgaria
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Abstract

The limited spectrum of currently available antiviral drugs and the emergence of viral resistance highlight the need for novel antiviral agents with broad-spectrum activity and low toxicity. Agrimonia eupatoria L. (Rosaceae) is a medicinal plant rich in phenolic compounds with diverse biological activities. The present study investigated the phytochemical composition and antiviral and antiproliferative activities of methanolic (Ae-M) and hydromethanolic (Ae-WM) extracts of A. eupatoria. HPLC–HRMS/MS analysis revealed 28 phenolic constituents, predominantly flavonoid glycosides, flavan-3-ols, hydrolysable tannins and hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives. Semi-quantitative analysis revealed luteolin 7-O-glucoside, isoquercetin, hyperoside and agrimoniin as the major constituents. Both extracts exhibited low cytotoxicity and no detectable phototoxicity. Antiviral assays revealed inhibitory effects against herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and human coronavirus OC43 (HCoV-OC43), with greater activity against HSV-1 (selectivity indices of 14.3–16.2 for both extracts). Additionally, both extracts exhibited pronounced virucidal activity against both viruses, reducing viral titers by Δlg = 2 to 3. They also completely inhibited HSV-1 adsorption to MDBK cells (with a reduction in Δlg = 5) and protected healthy cells from viral infection, with the strongest protective effect observed against HCoV-OC43, with a reduction in Δlg = 3.75. In addition, both extracts showed selective antiproliferative activity against MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells compared with non-tumorigenic MCF-12F cells. Overall, these findings identify A. eupatoria as a promising source of phenolic-rich extracts exhibiting in vitro antiviral and antiproliferative activities and support further investigation of their biological potential.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{staleva2026chemical,
  title = {{Chemical Composition, Antiviral and Antiproliferative Activity of Extracts from Agrimonia eupatoria L.}},
  author = {Plamena Staleva and Mariana Kamenova-Nacheva and Antoaneta Trendafilova and Zhanina Petkova and Ivan Iliev and Aleksandra Rangelova and Neli Vilhelmova-Ilieva},
  journal = {Molecules},
  year = {2026},
  month = nov,
  doi = {10.3390/molecules31214019},
  url = {https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/31/21/4019},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Chemical Composition, Antiviral and Antiproliferative Activity of Extracts from Agrimonia eupatoria L.
AU  - Plamena Staleva
AU  - Mariana Kamenova-Nacheva
AU  - Antoaneta Trendafilova
AU  - Zhanina Petkova
AU  - Ivan Iliev
AU  - Aleksandra Rangelova
AU  - Neli Vilhelmova-Ilieva
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/11/08
JO  - Molecules
DO  - 10.3390/molecules31214019
UR  - https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/31/21/4019
AB  - The limited spectrum of currently available antiviral drugs and the emergence of viral resistance highlight the need for novel antiviral agents with broad-spectrum activity and low toxicity. Agrimonia eupatoria L. (Rosaceae) is a medicinal plant rich in phenolic compounds with diverse biological activities. The present study investigated the phytochemical composition and antiviral and antiproliferative activities of methanolic (Ae-M) and hydromethanolic (Ae-WM) extracts of A. eupatoria. HPLC–HRMS/MS analysis revealed 28 phenolic constituents, predominantly flavonoid glycosides, flavan-3-ols, hydrolysable tannins and hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives. Semi-quantitative analysis revealed luteolin 7-O-glucoside, isoquercetin, hyperoside and agrimoniin as the major constituents. Both extracts exhibited low cytotoxicity and no detectable phototoxicity. Antiviral assays revealed inhibitory effects against herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and human coronavirus OC43 (HCoV-OC43), with greater activity against HSV-1 (selectivity indices of 14.3–16.2 for both extracts). Additionally, both extracts exhibited pronounced virucidal activity against both viruses, reducing viral titers by Δlg = 2 to 3. They also completely inhibited HSV-1 adsorption to MDBK cells (with a reduction in Δlg = 5) and protected healthy cells from viral infection, with the strongest protective effect observed against HCoV-OC43, with a reduction in Δlg = 3.75. In addition, both extracts showed selective antiproliferative activity against MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells compared with non-tumorigenic MCF-12F cells. Overall, these findings identify A. eupatoria as a promising source of phenolic-rich extracts exhibiting in vitro antiviral and antiproliferative activities and support further investigation of their biological potential.
SN  - 1420-3049
ER  -