Fighting SARS-CoV-2 with green seaweed Ulva sp. extract: extraction protocol predetermines crude ulvan extract anti-SARS-CoV-2 inhibition properties in in vitro Vero-E6 cells assay.

Abstract

Due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, there is a need to screen for novel compounds with antiviral activity against SARS-COV-2. Here we compared chemical composition and the in vitro anti- SARS-COV-2 activity of two different Ulva sp. crude ulvan extracts: one obtained by an HCl-based and another one by ammonium oxalate-based (AOx) extraction protocols. The composition of the crude extracts was analyzed and their antiviral activity was assessed in a cytopathic effect reduction assay using Vero E6 cells. We show that the extraction protocols have a significant impact on the chemical composition, anti- SARS-COV-2 activity, and cytotoxicity of these ulvan extracts. The ulvan extract based on the AOx protocol had a higher average molecular weight, higher charge, and 11.3-fold higher antiviral activity than HCl-based extract. Our results strongly suggest that further bioassay-guided investigation into bioactivity of compounds found in Ulva sp. ulvan extracts could lead to the discovery of novel anti-SARS-CoV-2 antivirals.

• Authors: Shai Shefer, Arthur Robin, Alexander Chemodanov, Mario Lebendiker, Robert Bostwick, Lynn Rasmussen, Michael Lishner, Michael Gozin, Alexander Golberg
• Journal: PeerJ (PeerJ) Vol. 9 Pg. e12398 ( 2021) ISSN: 2167-8359 [Print] United States
• PMID: 34820178 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: ©2021 Shefer et al.