Ajwa date extract (Phoenix dactylifera L.): Phytochemical analysis, antiviral activity against herpes simplex virus-I and coxsackie B4 virus, and in silico study

Authors

• Ahmad K. Aljohani, From the Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Chemistry (Aljohani), College of Pharmacy; from the College of Pharmacy (Maghrabi, Alrehili, Alharbi, Alsihli, Alharthe, Albladi, Alosaimi, Albadrani); from the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology (Miski, Elbadawy, Alrehaili), College of Pharmacy, Taibah University, Al-Medinah Al-Munawarah, from the Departmet of Chemistry (Hussein), Collage of Science, Jouf University, Aljouf, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; from the Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Science (Abdelkarem), Kyushu University, Kyushu, Japan; from the Department of Pharmacognosy (Abdelkarem), Faculty of Pharmacy; and from the Department of Chemistry (Hussein), Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Assiut, Egypt.
• Nader A. Maghrabi, From the Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Chemistry (Aljohani), College of Pharmacy; from the College of Pharmacy (Maghrabi, Alrehili, Alharbi, Alsihli, Alharthe, Albladi, Alosaimi, Albadrani); from the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology (Miski, Elbadawy, Alrehaili), College of Pharmacy, Taibah University, Al-Medinah Al-Munawarah, from the Departmet of Chemistry (Hussein), Collage of Science, Jouf University, Aljouf, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; from the Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Science (Abdelkarem), Kyushu University, Kyushu, Japan; from the Department of Pharmacognosy (Abdelkarem), Faculty of Pharmacy; and from the Department of Chemistry (Hussein), Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Assiut, Egypt.
• Osama M. Alrehili, From the Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Chemistry (Aljohani), College of Pharmacy; from the College of Pharmacy (Maghrabi, Alrehili, Alharbi, Alsihli, Alharthe, Albladi, Alosaimi, Albadrani); from the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology (Miski, Elbadawy, Alrehaili), College of Pharmacy, Taibah University, Al-Medinah Al-Munawarah, from the Departmet of Chemistry (Hussein), Collage of Science, Jouf University, Aljouf, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; from the Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Science (Abdelkarem), Kyushu University, Kyushu, Japan; from the Department of Pharmacognosy (Abdelkarem), Faculty of Pharmacy; and from the Department of Chemistry (Hussein), Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Assiut, Egypt.
• Abdulaziz S. Alharbi, From the Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Chemistry (Aljohani), College of Pharmacy; from the College of Pharmacy (Maghrabi, Alrehili, Alharbi, Alsihli, Alharthe, Albladi, Alosaimi, Albadrani); from the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology (Miski, Elbadawy, Alrehaili), College of Pharmacy, Taibah University, Al-Medinah Al-Munawarah, from the Departmet of Chemistry (Hussein), Collage of Science, Jouf University, Aljouf, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; from the Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Science (Abdelkarem), Kyushu University, Kyushu, Japan; from the Department of Pharmacognosy (Abdelkarem), Faculty of Pharmacy; and from the Department of Chemistry (Hussein), Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Assiut, Egypt.
• Rawad S. Alsihli, From the Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Chemistry (Aljohani), College of Pharmacy; from the College of Pharmacy (Maghrabi, Alrehili, Alharbi, Alsihli, Alharthe, Albladi, Alosaimi, Albadrani); from the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology (Miski, Elbadawy, Alrehaili), College of Pharmacy, Taibah University, Al-Medinah Al-Munawarah, from the Departmet of Chemistry (Hussein), Collage of Science, Jouf University, Aljouf, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; from the Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Science (Abdelkarem), Kyushu University, Kyushu, Japan; from the Department of Pharmacognosy (Abdelkarem), Faculty of Pharmacy; and from the Department of Chemistry (Hussein), Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Assiut, Egypt.
• Abdulrahman M. Alharthe, From the Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Chemistry (Aljohani), College of Pharmacy; from the College of Pharmacy (Maghrabi, Alrehili, Alharbi, Alsihli, Alharthe, Albladi, Alosaimi, Albadrani); from the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology (Miski, Elbadawy, Alrehaili), College of Pharmacy, Taibah University, Al-Medinah Al-Munawarah, from the Departmet of Chemistry (Hussein), Collage of Science, Jouf University, Aljouf, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; from the Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Science (Abdelkarem), Kyushu University, Kyushu, Japan; from the Department of Pharmacognosy (Abdelkarem), Faculty of Pharmacy; and from the Department of Chemistry (Hussein), Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Assiut, Egypt.
• Rayan S. Albladi, From the Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Chemistry (Aljohani), College of Pharmacy; from the College of Pharmacy (Maghrabi, Alrehili, Alharbi, Alsihli, Alharthe, Albladi, Alosaimi, Albadrani); from the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology (Miski, Elbadawy, Alrehaili), College of Pharmacy, Taibah University, Al-Medinah Al-Munawarah, from the Departmet of Chemistry (Hussein), Collage of Science, Jouf University, Aljouf, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; from the Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Science (Abdelkarem), Kyushu University, Kyushu, Japan; from the Department of Pharmacognosy (Abdelkarem), Faculty of Pharmacy; and from the Department of Chemistry (Hussein), Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Assiut, Egypt.
• Khalid A. Alosaimi, From the Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Chemistry (Aljohani), College of Pharmacy; from the College of Pharmacy (Maghrabi, Alrehili, Alharbi, Alsihli, Alharthe, Albladi, Alosaimi, Albadrani); from the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology (Miski, Elbadawy, Alrehaili), College of Pharmacy, Taibah University, Al-Medinah Al-Munawarah, from the Departmet of Chemistry (Hussein), Collage of Science, Jouf University, Aljouf, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; from the Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Science (Abdelkarem), Kyushu University, Kyushu, Japan; from the Department of Pharmacognosy (Abdelkarem), Faculty of Pharmacy; and from the Department of Chemistry (Hussein), Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Assiut, Egypt.
• Bader M. Albadrani, From the Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Chemistry (Aljohani), College of Pharmacy; from the College of Pharmacy (Maghrabi, Alrehili, Alharbi, Alsihli, Alharthe, Albladi, Alosaimi, Albadrani); from the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology (Miski, Elbadawy, Alrehaili), College of Pharmacy, Taibah University, Al-Medinah Al-Munawarah, from the Departmet of Chemistry (Hussein), Collage of Science, Jouf University, Aljouf, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; from the Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Science (Abdelkarem), Kyushu University, Kyushu, Japan; from the Department of Pharmacognosy (Abdelkarem), Faculty of Pharmacy; and from the Department of Chemistry (Hussein), Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Assiut, Egypt.
• Samar F. Miski, From the Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Chemistry (Aljohani), College of Pharmacy; from the College of Pharmacy (Maghrabi, Alrehili, Alharbi, Alsihli, Alharthe, Albladi, Alosaimi, Albadrani); from the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology (Miski, Elbadawy, Alrehaili), College of Pharmacy, Taibah University, Al-Medinah Al-Munawarah, from the Departmet of Chemistry (Hussein), Collage of Science, Jouf University, Aljouf, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; from the Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Science (Abdelkarem), Kyushu University, Kyushu, Japan; from the Department of Pharmacognosy (Abdelkarem), Faculty of Pharmacy; and from the Department of Chemistry (Hussein), Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Assiut, Egypt.
• Hossein M. Elbadawy, From the Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Chemistry (Aljohani), College of Pharmacy; from the College of Pharmacy (Maghrabi, Alrehili, Alharbi, Alsihli, Alharthe, Albladi, Alosaimi, Albadrani); from the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology (Miski, Elbadawy, Alrehaili), College of Pharmacy, Taibah University, Al-Medinah Al-Munawarah, from the Departmet of Chemistry (Hussein), Collage of Science, Jouf University, Aljouf, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; from the Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Science (Abdelkarem), Kyushu University, Kyushu, Japan; from the Department of Pharmacognosy (Abdelkarem), Faculty of Pharmacy; and from the Department of Chemistry (Hussein), Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Assiut, Egypt.
• Bandar D. Alrehaili, From the Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Chemistry (Aljohani), College of Pharmacy; from the College of Pharmacy (Maghrabi, Alrehili, Alharbi, Alsihli, Alharthe, Albladi, Alosaimi, Albadrani); from the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology (Miski, Elbadawy, Alrehaili), College of Pharmacy, Taibah University, Al-Medinah Al-Munawarah, from the Departmet of Chemistry (Hussein), Collage of Science, Jouf University, Aljouf, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; from the Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Science (Abdelkarem), Kyushu University, Kyushu, Japan; from the Department of Pharmacognosy (Abdelkarem), Faculty of Pharmacy; and from the Department of Chemistry (Hussein), Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Assiut, Egypt.
• Fahd A. Abdelkarem, From the Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Chemistry (Aljohani), College of Pharmacy; from the College of Pharmacy (Maghrabi, Alrehili, Alharbi, Alsihli, Alharthe, Albladi, Alosaimi, Albadrani); from the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology (Miski, Elbadawy, Alrehaili), College of Pharmacy, Taibah University, Al-Medinah Al-Munawarah, from the Departmet of Chemistry (Hussein), Collage of Science, Jouf University, Aljouf, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; from the Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Science (Abdelkarem), Kyushu University, Kyushu, Japan; from the Department of Pharmacognosy (Abdelkarem), Faculty of Pharmacy; and from the Department of Chemistry (Hussein), Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Assiut, Egypt.
• Modather F. Hussein, From the Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Chemistry (Aljohani), College of Pharmacy; from the College of Pharmacy (Maghrabi, Alrehili, Alharbi, Alsihli, Alharthe, Albladi, Alosaimi, Albadrani); from the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology (Miski, Elbadawy, Alrehaili), College of Pharmacy, Taibah University, Al-Medinah Al-Munawarah, from the Departmet of Chemistry (Hussein), Collage of Science, Jouf University, Aljouf, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; from the Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Science (Abdelkarem), Kyushu University, Kyushu, Japan; from the Department of Pharmacognosy (Abdelkarem), Faculty of Pharmacy; and from the Department of Chemistry (Hussein), Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Assiut, Egypt.

Abstract

Objectives: To investigate the phytochemical composition of Ajwa date extract and evaluate its antiviral activity and mechanism of action. Methods: High perfomance liquid chromatography, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry were used to analyze the phytochemical profile of Ajwa date extract. The antiviral activity was assessed using the MTT colorimetric assay against herpes simplex virus type I (HSV-I) and coxsackievirus B4 (CVB-4). Assessment of the mechanism of action against HSV-I was carried out using 3 protocols. Molecular docking and quantum chemical calculations were carried out to predict the binding affinities of the identified compounds to viral glycoprotein D. Results: A total of 17 metabolites belonging to different classes of metabolites, mainly flavonoids, phenolic acid derivatives, fatty acids, and sugar derivatives. Ajwa extract exhibited antiviral activity against HSV-I with an IC: 50 of 113.99±4.67 μg/mL, whereas it showed limited activity against CVB-4. The antiviral activity of Ajwa extract was mainly attributed to its cell protectant activity by preventing adherence of viral to host cell with an IC: 50 equal to 57.82±1.37μg/mL. Molecular docking studies indicated that chlorogenic acid had the strongest binding affinity to viral glycoprotein D, which suggests its potential role in inhibiting viral entry into host cells. Conclusion: The Ajwa date extract demonstrated promising antiviral activity, especially against HSV-I. Integrating in vitro and in silico analyses provided valuable insights into the mechanisms of action.

Article Type

Research Article

First Page

26

Last Page

35

Recommended Citation

Aljohani, Ahmad K.; Maghrabi, Nader A.; Alrehili, Osama M.; Alharbi, Abdulaziz S.; Alsihli, Rawad S.; Alharthe, Abdulrahman M.; Albladi, Rayan S.; Alosaimi, Khalid A.; Albadrani, Bader M.; Miski, Samar F.; Elbadawy, Hossein M.; Alrehaili, Bandar D.; Abdelkarem, Fahd A.; and Hussein, Modather F. (2025) "Ajwa date extract (Phoenix dactylifera L.): Phytochemical analysis, antiviral activity against herpes simplex virus-I and coxsackie B4 virus, and in silico study," Saudi Medical Journal: Vol. 46: Iss. 1, Article 5.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15537/smj.2025.46.1.20240780