A methanol extract and N,N-dimethyltryptamine from Psychotria viridis Ruiz & Pav. inhibit Zika virus infection in vitro
Archives of Virology September 18, 2021 T. Moraes, A. Ferraz, W. S. da Cruz Nizer et al. 10 citations
A methanol extract and the compound dimethyltryptamine from the plant Psychotria viridis inhibited Zika virus infection in cultured cells. The extract killed the virus directly before it entered cells and also blocked the virus at later stages inside cells. Dimethyltryptamine alone also stopped the virus during intracellular stages. Other compounds in the extract likely contribute to its strong virucidal effect. This is the first report of anti-Zika activity from this plant source, suggesting both the extract and dimethyltryptamine are candidates for developing antiviral drugs against Zika virus.