Gen Pharmacol. 1999 Apr; 32(4): 499-503.

Antiviral activity of Bolivian plant extracts.

Abad MJ, Bermejo P, Gonzales E, Iglesias I, Irurzun A, Carrasco L.

Departamento de FarmacologÃa, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain.

Ethanolic and aqueous extracts of seven plant species used in the traditional medicine of Bolivia have been tested for their antiviral activity against herpes simplex type I (HSV-1), vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), and poliovirus type 1. The aqueous extracts of most of the species investigated showed antiviral activity. Two of these plants-namely, Satureja boliviana and Baccharis genistelloides-were active against two different viruses-HSV-1 and VSV.