Guillain-Barré syndrome and Chikungunya viruses possess specific proteins that serve as prime targets for antiviral drug design. Recent studies suggest that targeting these proteins can effectively inhibit viral replication and pathogenesis in humans. Glycyrrhiza glabra (Liquorice) is known to harbor phytochemicals with potent antibacterial and anticancer properties. In this study, we evaluated the antiviral potential of four specific compounds identified in Glycyrrhiza glabra fruit against 14 viral proteins (7 from Guillain-Barré syndrome and 7 from Chikungunya) using in silico methods. Through virtual screening and molecular docking, we determined that Gallic acid (Benzoic acid, 3,4,5-trihydroxy-) exhibited the highest binding affinity with the target proteins. Furthermore, we predicted the specific amino acid residues involved in the active sites and analyzed the hydrogen bonding interactions contributing to this stability.
Dr. S. Janet Beula1*, Ragipati Suneetha2, Kandhagatla Saisneha3, Vanitha Bolla4, Donthula Srilatha5, Dr. Madireddy Mamata6 (Sun,) studied this question.