[2P01-53] Poster Presentation

[2P50] Evaluation of berberine, a natural compound isolated from plant, for virucidal activity against feline calicivirus, one of noroviruses

*Toshio Kawahara¹, Masaki Mineta¹, Iori Matsuura¹, Jung-Bum Lee², Kyoko Hayashi¹ (1. College of Life and Health Sciences, Chubu University, 2. Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama)

There are many viruses threatening the safety of our life. Among them, human norovirus is an unenveloped virus. Its symmetric capsid structure with stability, however, might cause difficulty to destroy the virus surface structure, comparing with the enveloped viruses such as SRAS-CoV-2, influenza viruses, and so on. There are no effective therapeutic agents or vaccines for norovirus infections. Recently, we have identified berberine as a virucidal agent against norovirus in a plaque assay-based screening. Berberine inactivated FCVs, and to elucidate possible mechanisms underlying the virucidal activity of berberine, we also assessed structural changes in virus particles following treatment with berberine via transmission electron microscopy. As a result, aggregated virus particles and particles with partially destroyed structures of protein capsid were observed. Thus, berberine offers a novel prophylactic option against norovirus infections.