Abstract

Studies on extracts and biologically active compounds isolated from medicinal plants have doubled in the last two decades. The leaves of Hibiscus sabdariffa (red and green leaved) and Celosia argentea were studied for their antiviral activities against Measles Virus (MV) as well as the effects of the extracts on Hep-2 cells. Ethanol extract of the leaves of each of these plants showed no toxicity to the Hep-2 cells at all concentrations used (5, 10 and 15 mg/ml). The pre-inoculative treatment of Hep-2 cells with plant extracts showed that C. argentea had no antiviral activities on MV at all concentrations (5, 10, 15 mg/ml) while H. sabdariffa had antiviral activities only at 10 and 15 mg/ml on MV. The post-inoculative treatment of Hep-2 cells with plant extracts showed that at 5, 10 and 15 mg/ml concentrations, H. sabdariffa had antiviral activities on MV while the antiviral activity of C. argentea could not be established at 10 and 15 mg/ml but did not show any antiviral activity at 5 mg/ml.

Key words: Hibiscus sabdariffa, Celosia argentea, antiviral, toxic, Hep-2 cell, herb, medicinal plant